The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said, on Tuesday 17 May, that the EU should have more flexible Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations.
“We need smaller, more agile teams that can handle specific requests for training, advice, equipment and support”, he summarised after the Defence Council.
The High Representative explained that the ministers had discussed ways to make EU missions and operations “more effective and flexible, to respond to the needs of partners, that there is more targeted training, accompanied by equipment”. “And we can’t have a fit-for-all formula. We have to be able to adapt the missions to the security environment”, he added, saying the Europeans should “try to authorise executive tasks” by using Article 44 on avant-garde groups.
Mr Borrell also said that the EU should act more preventively. “We need to act before a crisis happens and be ready to provide support to our partners well before we are in an emergency situation”, he explained.
Mali. In addition, returning to the situation in Mali (see other news), Mr Borrell confirmed that the EU would be resizing its troops in that country, due to the suspension of operations of the two missions EUTM Mali and EUCAP Sahel Mali. He also announced that the strategic reviews of these two missions would be presented to the Member States next week. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)