39 Presidency report on European Security
and Defence Policy
| (26770)
10032/05
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| Presidency Report on European Security and Defence Policy
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 13 June 2005
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| Deposited in Parliament | 25 August 2005
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| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 25 August 2005
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| Discussed in Council | 16-17 June 2005 European Council
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
39.1 At their 1998 summit meeting in St Malo, the Prime Minister
and President Chirac proposed that the European Union should have
the capacity to respond to international crises: in particular,
the military capacity to take on humanitarian tasks, rescue, peace-keeping
and the tasks of combat forces in crisis management (known as
Petersberg tasks). These proposals were adopted at the Cologne
European Council in June 1999.
39.2 At the 1999 NATO Washington Summit and, subsequently,
the December 2000 Nice European Council, both organisations agreed
that the EU would act only where NATO as a whole was not engaged.
NATO also agreed at the Washington summit to support ESDP with
the so-called "Berlin-plus" arrangements, whereby the
EU can call on key NATO facilities in order to run its own military
operations. The Helsinki European Council in December 1999 set
Member States a military capability target known as the Headline
Goal — deploying 50-60,000 troops, capable of conducting
the full range of Petersberg Tasks, within 60 days, sustainable
for up to a year, with air and naval support as necessary, before
the end of 2003. From the likely scenarios envisaged, the EU Military
Staff (EUMS) generated the "Helsinki Headline Catalogue"
which specifies which capabilities are required in each of 144
capability areas.
39.3 At the June 2000 European Council, Member States
also agreed of provide 5,000 police officers for international
missions for conflict prevention and crisis management by 2003,
and to identify and deploy up to 1,000 police officers within
30 days.
39.4 The June 2003 Thessaloniki European Council
confirmed that ESDP was operational across the full range of Petersberg
tasks, albeit limited and constrained by recognised capability
shortfalls. The EU aims to address these shortfalls through its
European Capabilities Action Plan (ECAP).
39.5 Although work remained to be done to fulfil
all the aspects of the Helsinki Headline Goal, a changed strategic
environment and the EU's Security Strategy (adopted by the December
2003 European Council[108])
led to the June 2004 European Council approving a new Headline
Goal 2010, which will focus primarily on the qualitative aspects
of capabilities — interoperability, deployability and sustainability
— and form the basis of the EU's work on meeting capability
shortfalls in the medium term.
39.6 The Battlegroups initiative has also been developed
to enhance the EU's rapid reaction capabilities — around
1,500 troops, ready to deploy within 15 days of a crisis, primarily
in support of the UN, and normally for a period of around 30 days,
with an initial operational capacity period in 2005 and 2006 whereby
the EU will be able to run at least one Battlegroup operation
and, from 2007, at least two concurrent operations.
39.7 The EU's civilian crisis management capability,
or civilian ESDP, has developed in tandem, principally since the
Helsinki European Council in December 1999. A Civilian Crisis
Management Committee was established in May 2000, and in June
2001 the Gothenburg European Council established the four priority
areas for the EU's civilian crisis management capability: policing,
rule of law, civil administration and civil protection. The June
2004 European Council agreed an "Action Plan for Civilian
Aspects of ESDP", which proposes a way forward for civilian
ESDP in light of the challenges outlined in the European Security
Strategy and focuses on further developing operational capability.
The Dutch Presidency report
39.8 Each Presidency submits a report on European
Security and Defence Policy to the European Council (in December
or June). This report follows the usual format: recording significant
developments over the six months of the Dutch Presidency, referring
where appropriate to activities undertaken in earlier months,
highlighting progress in specific areas and drawing attention
to others where further work is needed. It was submitted to the
16-17 December 2004 European Council and endorsed in the Council
Conclusions.[109]
39.9 The main points are:
EU OPERATIONS
- The report notes the deployment
of Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina — the largest
ESDP mission to date, with approximately 6,500 troops from 33
countries (including 11 non-EU countries) — highlighting
the effectiveness of the EU's coordination with NATO under the
Berlin Plus arrangements. An EU review of the mission in May 2005
concluded that Operation ALTHEA should maintain its force size,
duties and mandate for the next six months.
- On the ongoing civilian ESDP missions, the EU's
Police Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina has continued to work towards
development of the State Investigation and Protection Agency and
support for the restructuring of the police institutions. The
extension of the mandate for EUPOL PROXIMA in Macedonia has allowed
the EU to continue to support the national police force. EUJUST
THEMIS, the EU's rule of law mission in Georgia, has entered its
final phase and was due to end on 15 July 2005.
- Two further civilian missions have been launched
in the Democratic Republic of Congo. EUPOL KINSHASA will monitor,
mentor and advise the setting up and initial running of the Integrated
Police Unit (a specialised unit of the national police which will
provide support to the transitional government institutions).
EUSEC DR Congo will contribute to the ongoing Security Sector
Reform efforts by providing advice and assistance on integration
of the army in the DRC. It is the first EU mission of its kind.
- The report also notes the agreement to launch
the EUJUST LEX mission for Iraq, to provide support and training
for middle and senior rank police and judiciary officials and
encourage closer cooperation throughout the Iraqi criminal justice
system.
- Further possible missions in Georgia, Aceh and
Palestine are being considered and the EU will be providing support
to the AMIS operation in Darfur (the African Union's UN-mandated
peace monitoring mission in Sudan).
- In order to ensure that all categories of personnel
involved in ESDP operations comply with the highest standards
of behaviour, a document has been drafted, which the Council has
noted, on generic standards of behaviour, based on provisions
already in force and applied to current ESDP operations and taking
account of work underway at the United Nations and in other international
organisations, with particular reference to the implementation
of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.
- The Model Agreement on the Status of Forces for
EU-led military crisis management operations has been approved,
which contributes to efforts to improve the EU's rapid reaction
capabilities, by accelerating the conclusion of specific agreements
on the status of forces for each operation. Work has begun on
drafting a model agreement on the status of civilian missions.
DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN MILITARY CAPABILITIES
- The report highlights the ongoing
development of the Battlegroups initiative. Initial operational
capability — to launch one Battlegroup-sized mission during
2005-06 — has been achieved, and work to meet full operational
capability from 2007 — to be able to run two Battlegroup-sized
missions simultaneously — has continued. This includes work
to ensure that EU decision making and planning processes can respond
within the timeframe developed for the deployment of Battlegroups,
i.e., within five days from approval of the crisis management
concept by the Council to the decision to launch the operation.
Work has accordingly continued on the Global Approach to Deployability,
which aims to improve the EU's ability to deploy forces, particularly
strategic transport.
- The report describes work on the Headline Goal
2010, with the approval of an interim Requirements Catalogue which
contains considerations regarding strategic planning hypotheses,
five illustrative scenarios and an initial list of the capabilities
required to meet the aims set in the 2010 Headline Goal. A final
Requirements Catalogue, validated for the first time by computer-based
operational analysis, is due to be produced under the UK Presidency.
EUROPEAN DEFENCE AGENCY
- The European Defence Agency,
set up under a Joint Action in July 2004 and with a former UK
official as Chief Executive, is currently focussing its efforts
on four "flagship" projects agreed by Defence Ministers
in November 2004 — command, control and communications in
the capabilities area; combat armoured vehicles in the armaments
area; drones in the research and technology area; and the programme
to create a European Defence Equipment Market (EDEM) to improve
the effectiveness of that part of the defence equipment market
where Member States can derogate from EC procurement rules when
procuring goods that they believe have a bearing on their national
security.
DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL CAPABILITIES
- The report focuses on the progress
made toward achieving the Civilian Headline Goal 2008 adopted
by the European Council in December 2004: moving on from the preparation
of illustrative scenarios on which to base planning into the second
stage, involving strategic planning and identification of capabilities
requirements, along with co-ordination with the EU Staff Military
Headline Goal 2010 to ensure that the two processes are compatible.
Work has also begun on the rapid deployment of civilian crisis
management capabilities, including the concept of "civilian
response teams".
CIVIL-MILITARY CELL
- The EU has taken forward work
to establish the civil-military cell.[110]
The Terms of Reference of the EU Military Staff have been amended
to take into account the new tasks included in the mandate of
the cell. The EU is awaiting responses to its proposals regarding
the EU Cell's mandate in SHAPE and the NATO liaison team in the
EUMS.
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EU AND NATO
- The report notes the continued
cooperation between NATO and the EU, both through the Berlin Plus
arrangements for Operation Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina and through
meetings of the EU-NATO Capabilities group (which discusses issues
relating to the development of capabilities within the two organisations).
- Co-operation with other international organisations
- The Report notes the EU's efforts to improve
co-operation with international organisations, particularly the
UN, the African Union and African sub-regional organisations.
CO-OPERATION WITH NON-EU COUNTRIES
- The Report notes the signing
of Framework Participation Agreements with Bulgaria and Ukraine,
which will streamline their participation in ESDP operations.
Agreement has also been reached with Russia on the Common Space
on External Security (one of four Common Spaces; the others being
economic issues and the environment; freedom, security and justice;
and research and education, including cultural aspects), which
will reinforce dialogue and cooperation in crisis management as
part of the overall strategic partnership.
ESDP AND AFRICA
- The Report summarises the actions
taken, through a deepening dialogue with the African Union, the
African sub-regional organisations and African States to implement
the key elements of the Action Plan for ESDP support to Peace
and Security in Africa, of which the aim is supporting African
organisations and states in building autonomous conflict prevention
and management capacities. The Report also notes the EU's support
for the AU's and international community's work in Darfur.
ESDP AND THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
- The Report notes that the EU
is developing the Conceptual Framework relating to the ESDP dimension
of the fight against terrorism (agreed at the December 2004 European
Council), which covers "a vast spectrum of capability and
operational sectors, including management of the consequences
of a terrorist attack".
ACTION PLAN ADOPTED FOLLOWING THE EARTHQUAKE AND
TSUNAMIS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
- Following the Action Plan adopted
by the Council on 31 January 2005, a number of proposals to strengthen
the EU's rapid response capability, including the mobilisation
and use of military resources and consular cooperation in the
event of natural or man-made disasters, have been taken forward.
OTHER
- The Report notes that arrangements
have been made to establish a European Security and Defence College
as part of the ESDP Training Concept. The Report highlights progress
made on initial information exchanges between EU institutions
on the role of space applications within ESDP, as well as the
agreement of the 2006-2010 crisis management exercise programme.
The meeting between Euromed high officials to exchange views on
cooperation with Mediterranean countries is also welcomed in the
report.
39.10 The report concludes with the customary detailed
mandate for the incoming UK Presidency, most of which are essentially
instructions to continue the ongoing work detailed in the report,
but which also include reviews of Operation Althea and of the
various civilian ESDP missions, together with recommendations
on the future direction of several of them, and finalisation of
the Requirements Catalogue 2005 and the Civilian Capabilities
Requirements List.
The Government's view
39.11 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 25 August
2005, the Minister of State for Europe in the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (Mr Douglas Alexander) comments fully on the report. He
says that "the UK welcomes the report and supports the work
outlined" and that "progress has been made on the following
aspects of ESDP":
EU OPERATIONS
"The UK welcomes the outcome of the review
of Operation ALTHEA and believes that it has made an important
contribution to stability and security in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The UK is playing an integral part in ALTHEA and will continue
to act as lead nation for the next six months, providing the force
commander, Major-General Leakey, and a significant proportion
of the HQ staff. Under the Berlin Plus arrangements, the overall
Operation Commander is NATO's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander
Europe, General John Reith, also British.
"The UK strongly supports the EU's Police
Missions (EUPM) in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia, as they continue
to provide the stability and security required in the region.
The UK has deployed 9 civilian experts and over 50 police officers
to these missions.
"The UK supports both missions to the Democratic
Republic of Congo and has deployed one civilian expert to EUSEC
with another being sent shortly.
"The UK has played a key role in establishing
the terms of reference and mandate for the EUJUST LEX mission
for Iraq which has brought about wider EU engagement with Iraq.
We have successfully nominated a UK specialist to the role of
Head of Mission. We believe the mission can make a vital contribution
to the reconstruction and emergence of a stable, secure and democratic
Iraq".
DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN MILITARY CAPABILITIES
"The UK welcomes the work undertaken to
ensure that the EU Battlegroups meet full operating capability.
The UK has played a key part in the work to ensure that decision
making is as rapid as possible within established structures and
procedures. The UK continues to play a leading role in driving
forward the Battlegroups initiative, including work on complementarity
with the NATO Response Force. The UK also welcomes the work on
the Global Approach to Deployability, as strategic transport remains
one of the EU's key capability gaps.
"The UK continues to fully support the Headline
Goal process as a means of identifying and remedying shortfalls
in the capabilities available to the EU. The UK played a key role
in securing the agreement for the EU to use NATO software to facilitate
the development of the new Headline Goal questionnaire. The questionnaire
will be used by Member States to make their offers against the
final Requirements Catalogue.
"The UK also welcomes the completion of
the assessment of the European Capability Action Plan, which has
enabled the EU to refocus the work of the project groups in a
process better integrated with the European Defence Agency".
EUROPEAN DEFENCE AGENCY
"The UK fully supports the work of the European
Defence Agency. We believe the introduction of the EDEM will help
drive out inefficiency in the European defence industry and, in
turn, potentially lower the overall cost of funding the European
defence capability. It also has the potential to improve access
for UK industry to other EU Member States' markets.
"The cornerstone of the EDEM programme is
the potential introduction of a voluntary 'Code of Conduct' for
defence procurement. This is a UK idea that aims to improve transparency
and openness, through the introduction of a set of market rules
based on the principles of equality of information, non-discrimination
and equal treatment. Employing a voluntary approach makes early
implementation possible, and avoids the introduction of a further
regulatory burden. Nevertheless, we recognise the potential challenges
associated with a voluntary mechanism, in particular the risk
of non-compliance. For this reason, we have stressed the need
to handle carefully the introduction of a Code of Conduct and
to ensure that it enjoys the robust support of Member States".
DEVELOPMENT OF CIVILIAN CAPABILITIES
"The UK welcomes the progress made toward
achieving the Civilian Headline Goal 2008 and fully supports the
project which complements it, involving the rapid deployment of
civilian crisis management capabilities and incorporating the
concept of 'civilian response teams'. The UK also welcomes moves
by the Police Unit to develop a plan for rapid deployment of police
in an EU-led substitution mission".
CIVIL-MILITARY CELL
"The UK welcomes the establishment of the
civil-military cell. The UK has played an integral part in the
development of the cell, which we believe will play an important
role in improving the EU's ability to bring together civilian
and military planning expertise to provide a co-ordinated response
to security situations".
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EU AND NATO
"The UK is a strong supporter of strengthened
co-operation, co-ordination and transparency between the EU and
NATO and continues to encourage further dialogue and practical
co-operation".
ESDP AND AFRICA
"The UK is an ardent supporter of EU efforts
to secure peace and security in Africa and welcomes the offer
made by the EU at the donors' conference on Darfur on 26 May.
The UK is working closely with the EU to finalise the EU's package
of support for the expansion of the AU mission in Darfur, in close
co-ordination with NATO and other international actors".
ESDP AND THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
"The UK supports the work to develop the
Conceptual Framework, which highlights areas where ESDP can contribute
to the fight against terrorism outside the EU, but we continue
to emphasise that ESDP is only one of the many tools available
to fight terrorism".
ACTION PLAN ADOPTED FOLLOWING THE EARTHQUAKE AND
TSUNAMIS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
"The UK is contributing to discussions aimed
at improving the EU's rapid response capability, following recommendations
made by the Secretary General/High Representative".
MANDATE FOR THE INCOMING PRESIDENCY
"The report sets out the mandate for the
UK Presidency, in addition to setting the stage for the Austrian
Presidency, which follows. The UK Presidency, together with the
Secretary-General/High Representative, will continue to develop
ESDP by pursuing the theme of the European Security Strategy,
i.e. a more coherent, active and capable ESDP".
Conclusion
39.12 The report is further confirmation that
the EU's external activities and partners continue to broaden,
particularly in Africa, and of the inter-relationship between
military and civilian capability in confronting contemporary challenges.
The UK appears to continue to play an active role in most of these
activities — all the more so, no doubt, now that the UK
has added the Presidency to its chairmanship of the G8 in 2005.
The next such report will thus be of particular interest.
39.13 For now, we clear the present document.
108 The Strategy, in place of large-scale aggression
against any Member State, identified terrorism, proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, state failure
and organised crime as "new threats which are more diverse,
less visible and less predictable". Back
109
16238/04, paragraphs 60-62. Back
110
The Civil/Military Cell has been established to strengthen strategic
planning for joint civil/military missions, as part of the EU's
efforts to act more coherently and effectively in crisis management,
particularly in relation to other key actors, such as the UN and
the African Union. Back
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