The French Presidency of the EU Council (FPEU) has listed, in a document of 26 April obtained by EUROPE, the priority areas for implementing the ‘Strategic Compass’ by the end of June.
In particular, the FPEU would like to take forward preparatory work to define new commitments on military mobility, on the basis of a revised joint action plan to be presented by the Commission and the High Representative of the Union by the end of the year.
Work is also expected to continue on rapid deployment capacity in military and politico-military fora in order to define operational scenarios and a roadmap for the implementation of live exercises, according to Paris.
Another priority for the FPEU is the adaptation of the model of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions to enhance its effectiveness on the ground, and initial discussions on this issue have taken place in preparation for the 16-17 May EU Councils. “Strategic reviews of CSDP missions and operations in the Sahel as well as in Somalia, which will be presented to the Council by this summer, will provide a first opportunity to adapt missions and operations accordingly and to facilitate and prepare mutual support between CSDP missions and operations and European-led ad hoc operations”, the document says.
The French Presidency of the EU Council also proposes to make progress on the development of the ‘hybrid toolbox’ (including the one on manipulation and interference of foreign information), the development of the EU’s cyber posture and the fight against terrorism. These issues will be the subject of conclusions which should be adopted by the EU Council by the end of June.
The launch of the review of the EU’s external action instruments on non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control, as well as the continuation of the preparatory work on the EU Maritime Security Strategy and on the definition of an EU Space Strategy for security and defence are also highlighted.
Similarly, the Presidency intends to hold discussions on national defence spending targets and defence investment gaps as well as on identifying and reducing strategic dependencies in the defence sector.
For the FPEU, it is important to work on the establishment of a defence innovation laboratory within the European Defence Agency, a topic that will be discussed at the Agency’s Steering Board meeting at ministerial level on 17 May.
The French Presidency of the EU Council wants to strengthen bilateral partnerships and partnerships with NATO, the UN, the OSCE, including in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine, and the implementation of the results of the EU/African Union summit of February 2022.
Finally, it highlights the presentation by the European External Action Service of proposals to strengthen the network of military attachés and counter-terrorism experts in EU delegations and the presentation of a first concept note to Member States on the preparation of the first biennial Security and Defence Partnership Forum.
Furthermore, the FPEU underlined its intention to regularly review implementation and progress in the meeting of Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper), in addition to discussions among the ambassadors of the Political and Security Committee. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)