Success worthy of celebration is rare. According to a draft conclusions document of 11 December obtained by this newsletter, heads of state or government on Thursday 14 December are due to hail the establishment of structured permanent co-operation (SPC) and meet up for a rapid ceremony and family photo in order to celebrate its launch.
One diplomat said that this permanent structured cooperation was the first tangible sign that the member states are taking ownership and responsibility for their defence. On Monday 11 December, 25-member states officially launched the SPC and agreed on the 17 first projects to be developed (see EUROPE 11923). The draft conclusions document says that Europe’s leaders will underscore the importance of rapid implementation of the first projects. A European source said that the SPC was at the present time a very clear political framework and its utility would depend on what would be developed within it, and the need to bring it alive with tangible projects that all go the same direction.
The heads of state and government are due to call on participating countries to carry out their implementation plans. According to the draft conclusions document, the leaders say that it is necessary to continue working on the European defence fund, particularly the rapid adoption in 2018 of the defence industrial development programme in time for the first capability projects to be financed in 2019. The Council adopted its position on this programme on 12th December and hopes inter-institutional negotiations can rapidly begin (see EUROPE 11924).
The European summit is expected to announce that it is awaiting a full revision by the Council of the Athena mechanism to finance common costs for EU missions and operations. At the moment the negotiations on this mechanism which finances common costs for EU military operations are stalled. The mechanism exists but only limited costs are covered, so work continues on increasing the proportion of costs covered in common, explained a source.
The draft conclusions document says that leaders will ask ministers to adopt a recommendation in the spring of 2018 aids on the new instrument covering all requirements for a boosting of capabilities in support of security and defence post-2020.
The leaders will meet NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg at the start of the European summit and the draft conclusions document calls for the pursuit of implementation of all cooperation proposals. The leaders may also invite EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to push forward work on mobility, including work against the backdrop of EU-NATO cooperation. A proposal in this direction is expected in March.
The high representative is due to be invited to report in June 2018 on work undertaken to boost the civilian common security and defence policy (CSDP) and produce, in close cooperation with the Council and Commission, a pact on the civilian CSDP in 2018.
The European Council is expected to announce that it will return to all these issues in June.
Minsk and Jerusalem agreements discussed over dinner
Over dinner, heads of state will discuss the extension of sanctions against Russia in connection with the crisis in Ukraine. The French president and the German Chancellor will discuss implementation of the Minsk agreements with their counterparts. In the light of the persistent conflict in eastern Ukraine and the non-implementation of agreements, the leaders are expected to agree to extend sanctions which currently run until 31st of January 2018. The sanctions are expected to be extended for a further six months.
Finally, on request from the Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, the European Council will return to the American decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel (see EUROPE 11923). There are no plans for a European initiative in this regard but it is hoped to express a position at the highest level, explained the European source. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)