On Tuesday 6 March, the defence ministers of the 25 countries participating in permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) are expected to adopt a decision which officially establishes the list of 17 initial projects to be set up within this framework.
The projects, which were the subject of a political agreement on 11 December 2017 (see EUROPE 11923), relate to training, capability development and operational readiness in the field of defence. For example, this encompasses military mobility, European medical command, armoured infantry fighting vehicles, amphibious assault vehicles, light armoured vehicles and the European Training Certification Centre for European Armies.
Ministers are also expected to adopt a recommendation concerning a road map for implementation of permanent structured cooperation. In its information memo, the Council explains: “The recommendation must provide strategic guidance in order to structure the additional work needed on the processes and governance, including with regards to projects”.
According to a European source, the rules on PESCO governance should be adopted by the summer and those concerning participation by a third party in the PESCO project by end 2018.
The Council will also discuss security and defence issues more generally, whether in terms of current or future cooperation.
European Defence Fund. The ministers may also look again at the European Defence Fund. According to one European diplomat, interinstitutional negotiations on the legislative proposal could begin “shortly”, i.e. before the end of the month. “I hope these will be finalised by the summer, if all goes well”, she added.
Discussions should also cover the coordinated annual review on defence (CARD), the participation of third countries in missions or operations under the EU’s common security and defence policy (CSDP) and work underway on military mobility. During March, the Commission is expected to present its proposal on such mobility (see EUROPE 11902).
NATO. Ministers will also speak with NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, who is replacing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is currently on an assignment in Iraq. They will discuss cooperation between the EU and NATO. The latter two have reached agreement on 74 proposals, concerning 42 actions (see EUROPE 11920).
According to a European source, however, only 12 are currently implemented. That source said: “This year we shall truly focus on implementation. We have enough on the table to continue to have a constructive relationship for many years to come”.
Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, is expected to present an interim report in June and the subject will also be discussed at the NATO summit scheduled to be held in July.
CSDP. Over lunch, ministers will examine CSDP missions and operations, especially EU non-executive military missions, i.e. training missions: EUTM Mali, Somalia and the Central African Republic. They are expected to focus on the functioning of military planning and conduct capability (MPCC) within the EU Military Staff (EUMS), which has a mandate for command of these three missions (see EUROPE 11805). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)