Jacques Fradin, Head of the Division for ‘Integrated Strategic Planning for the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and Stabilisation’ at the European External Action Service (EEAS), said on Tuesday 8 October that the coordinated maritime presence that the EU is currently setting up (see EUROPE 12316/1) will help to increase its influence.
Contending that the maritime domain is “the epicentre of acute global geostrategic competition”, Mr Fradin argued that this new concept would “increase the EU’s political and operational influence in identified maritime areas, our common knowledge of the maritime situation and our action as a facilitator in cooperation with all our partners”.
According to the Head of Division, “this approach will also serve as a catalyst for the EU’s overall action. Our role as a platform contributing to maritime security can be strengthened by maximising the potential of our Member States in this area”.
The coordinated maritime presence will soon be tested in the Gulf of Guinea. “The [action] plan is being developed, to be proposed for agreement to Member States before the end of the year”, explained Mr Fradin. In parallel, discussions are being held on the future use of this concept, including a process to define areas of maritime interest where the coordinated maritime presence could be used, he added.
Asked about EU-NATO cooperation in this area, Mr Fradin explained that the coordinated maritime presence includes remarks on the type of partnership to have with the Alliance, particularly on the exchange of maritime information “on a case-by-case and area-by-area basis”. For his part, the Head of the Military Assessment and Planning branch at the EEAS, Hans Huygens, considered that there was no reason why cooperation between the Union and the Alliance on this concept should not be good, adding that discussions on this subject are planned for late November/early December between the two partners. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)