The EU needs a more effective early warning and response system in order to match its global ambitions in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. This paper identifies key constraints and suggests ways to overcome them. The reforms of the Lisbon Treaty and the establishment of the EEAS do not go far enough: The scattered strands of the EU early warning system need to be woven together so that the EU can be cost effective and maximise its potential impact. The current system suffers from weaknesses in the production, communication, warning receptivity and disconnects between its early warning and early action.
*This working paper was written in the framework of the Initiative for Peacebuilding.