Towards a European Position on Armed Drones and Targeted Killing: Surveying EU Counterterrorism Perspectives

This ICCT Research Paper gauges the extent to which European Union (EU) governments share the United States ’ position on armed drones and targeted killing. In doing so, it aims to assist in distilling a Common EU position on the use of armed drones and a legal framework for counterterrorism-related uses of force. The paper includes the results of a questionnaire sent to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Justice and intelligence services of all 28 EU Member States. The authors also parsed other relevant sources that could evince governments ’ official positions (e.g., public statements, policy documents, etc.). In addition to this, the paper explores more normative pronouncements from entities other than states, including international organizations, advisory committees and commentators, who have articulated how the issue of armed drones and targeted killing should be approached within the European context. In the paper’s conclusion, the authors summarize the findings and provide concrete recommendations toward a cohesive European position on targeted killings and drone use in counterterrorism