The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, gave his support on Thursday 6 May, at the end of the Council of European Defence Ministers, to the proposal of 14 Member States to set up a ‘first entry force’, “a first response that could be deployed when facing an early crisis” (see EUROPE 12713/5).
“I think it’s good to have the ability to intervene immediately. If we really want to be a geopolitical power, we should be able to act as quickly as necessary”, he explained to the media.
“When you are facing an emergency situation and you have to start discussing, arguing, going from one committee to another, preparing documents (papers) and other documents, making a generation of forces, in the end it is no longer urgent or you are late”, Mr Borrell added.
The High Representative made no secret of the fact that some Member States were somewhat reluctant to accept the idea, and others had pointed out that the EU Battle groups had never been used. “Without underestimating the difficulties, we will push for this idea”, he said.
The establishment of a first entry force is one of the ideas discussed by the Ministers in order to strengthen the EU’s crisis management, as part of the preparation of the ‘strategic compass’.
Mr Borrell said the EU needed to have better prepared and equipped personnel to respond more quickly.
He also explained that the EU needed to act faster, especially in decision-making. In his view, more incentives should also be created to increase the number of assets and personnel made available by the Member States for civilian and military CSDP missions.
The High Representative also stressed the need for these missions and operations to be more flexible, to better adapt to the needs of each crisis and to strengthen cooperation with other partners, including ad hoc coalitions of Member States in the same field of operation.
Finally, Mr Borrell called for joint exercises, “using scenarios not only to determine what we need, but also to train together and improve planning and conduct structures”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)