19/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – The High Representative of the EU, Federica Mogherini, was optimistic on Tuesday 19 February about the adoption of the decision on the participation of third countries in Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects. “Now the Member States are finalising the last decision, so I would expect this decision to be taken in the next couple of weeks - not longer than that” she told the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Last week, sources speaking to EUROPE were less optimistic, expecting a decision at the May Foreign Affairs Council on Defence. In her speech, Mrs Mogherini clarified the conditions for the participation of third countries: sharing EU values as described in the Treaties, providing substantial added value to a project and having security of information agreements with the EU as well as, depending on the specific case, administrative arrangements with the European Defence Agency for projects carried out through it. (CG)