From Vuca to Bani: Governing Dual-Use Biotechnologies Through Eu–Nato Civil-Military Interoperability

This study examines the evolution of biotechnologies and their inherent dual-use risks within the context of the transformation of the security environment from VUCA to BANI. The paper applies a qualitative conceptual and policy-analysis approach based on literature review and the examination of EU and NATO strategic and regulatory frameworks. Particular emphasis is placed on advances in synthetic biology, genome editing, and automated bioengineering systems, which simultaneously catalyze innovation dynamics while exacerbating vulnerabilities in biosecurity and increasing the degree of systemic unpredictability. The study identifies key deficiencies in existing governance frameworks, including regulatory fragmentation, asymmetrical oversight, and limited coordination concerning dual-use research. It further analyzes the roles of NATO and the European Union as mutually complementary pillars of biosecurity—through operational coordination and civil-military resilience on the one hand, and through regulatory governance and scientific integration on the other. On this basis, strategic guidelines are formulated for EU–NATO coordination in the field of biosecurity, oriented toward the enhanced governance of dual-use biotechnologies through the strengthening of biosecurity mechanisms and the consolidation of interaction between civilian and defense institutional systems. The findings may contribute to scholarly and policy-oriented debates concerning the governance of technological risks under conditions of increasing systemic uncertainty.