During its six-month presidency, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, aims to foster unity between EU Member States, “especially by strengthening the areas that are most vulnerable to today’s challenges”, according to its programme.
“We will guarantee access to global commons, such as outer space, cyberspace and the maritime environment”, explains the document.
Spain therefore intends to work on implementing the EU’s space strategy for security and defence and will be organising the second meeting of the board of directors at ministerial level of the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen).
The implementation of the EU maritime safety strategy and its action plan is another Spanish priority. Madrid intends to strengthen the EU’s role as a global player in the field of maritime security, particularly in the Indo-Pacific and the Gulf of Guinea. A CSDP mission could soon be set up in four countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea (see EUROPE 13212/19).
Spain also wants to strengthen coordinated action in cyberspace and the fight against disinformation.
The Spanish Presidency will also work to develop European defence capabilities, particularly those of the European industrial and technological base. On Monday 3 July, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, hoped that an agreement on the ‘Act in Support of Ammunition Production’ (ASAP) could be reached quickly. An interinstitutional meeting is scheduled for Thursday 6 July.
Over the next 6 months, the Europeans are expected to approve the Capability Development Plan (CDP) drawn up by the European Defence Agency (EDA). In addition, the first real exercise of the EU’s rapid deployment capability will be held in Spain before the end of the year.
The Presidency will support efforts to approve the EU’s concept of air safety operations. It will begin preparations for the next cycle of permanent structured cooperation (PESCO), which will begin in 2025, “focusing on operational commitments”. This will include a joint event with the European Defence Agency on the future of PESCO.
The Presidency also wishes to work with third country partners. Financial solidarity through the ‘European Peace Facility’, “which plays an essential role in supporting Ukraine and Africa”, will also be encouraged, while the EPF has been granted a further €3.5 billion (see EUROPE 13209/34).
“We will guide the transmission of European values outside our borders, strengthening ties with our partners for a more just and safer world”, promises the Spanish Presidency, which wants to intensify the EU’s relations with Latin America, Africa and the Indo-Pacific, “fostering the participation of our partners in the European culture of defence, the sphere of cybersecurity, and the operations of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)”.
The Presidency will also encourage complementarity and close cooperation with NATO. On Tuesday 4 July, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, welcomed the extension of Jens Stoltenberg’s mandate, saying that he had done a remarkable job, and had been very generous and very committed to NATO. At a meeting with journalists in Madrid, including EUROPE, he added that in times of war, it was crucial not to change leadership and to consolidate the Alliance’s political position.
To see the Spanish Presidency programme, go to https://aeur.eu/f/7v4 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)