ABSTRACT
A higher degree of Benelux military cooperation and coordination would provide a direct contribution to the development of European defense both within the Alliance and within the context of an emerging united European Community. The chief obstacle to military reform facing the Benelux nations, and indeed any North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member, derives, ironically, from their membership in the NATO alliance itself. Benelux security cooperation would provide an increased role within the Alliance through a common voice which, in cooperation with Italy and the other smaller members, would serve as an essential counter-weight in the Euro-NATO context. There are, however, opportunities within NATO itself for increased defense cooperation and the Benelux nations have been among the most active NATO members to foster such intra-Alliance development. The domestic base is small and the dislocation potential too great for the Benelux defense industries to make a significant contribution to the reform of the Benelux contribution to NATO through cooperation or consolidation.
