On Wednesday 13 June, the European Commission revealed the outlines of the European Peace Facility. After 2020, this instrument seeks to cover European Union external operations and missions in the common European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)
This new financial instrument was unveiled two days after the launch of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PSC) in the defence domain at the end of 2017 and will have an envelope of €10.5 billion in current prices (€9.2 billion in constant 2018 prices) for the 2012-2027 period, which will also be topped up by annual contributions from the member states. It will effectively consist of a non-EU budget financial instrument due to the limitations imposed by the European treaties.
The new fund will help cover more spending than the current Athena mechanism. It will also allow for all peacekeeping operations to be attended that are steered through by EU partners in the world and not just in Africa. New action can also begin, particularly in the area of enhancing capacities through the funding of lethal infrastructure and equipment.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, presented this initiative to the press and stated, “Obviously, the nature, scope and limits of these actions will be defined by the Council”. The decisions will be taken by the member states at unanimity voting at the Political and Security Committee (PSC).
Ms Mogherini added that the Commission is “proposing that the common costs can be increased and that this will make all the difference in facilitating the deployment of our operations and missions”. She did, however, explain that the European Peace Facility would not replace the current instrument for financing specific actions that mobilise military personnel for humanitarian action.
The Commission is hoping that the Council of the EU will be able to adopt this proposal during the first half of 2019 so that the fund becomes operational at the beginning of 2021.
Questioned about the misgivings expressed by certain member states in mobilising equivalent resources for the ESDP, Ms Mogherini, on the contrary, referred to the strong demand from EU partners in both the military and humanitarian fields related to the development arena. During the launch of the PSC, member states were not very enthusiastic and 25 of them ultimately took part in this initiative, she pointed out.
The High Representative said that there was a real advantage to taking European level action and achieving “economies of scale”. This comment is equally valid for the proposal to create a European Defence Fund after 2020 (see other article). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)