Brussels, 23/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - As we mentioned, the EU Council adopted important decisions, in Brussels on Monday, for the development of Esdp. Thus:
(1) a institutional level, it decided:
- to transform the interim Political and Security Committee into a Permanent Committee (Cops), from the date of the decision's adoption. An annex to the decision stipulates, moreover, that after consultation with the Presidency, the Secretary General/High Representative may chair Cops, especially in case of crisis and that, so as to prepare the EU's reaction to a crisis, the Committee shall propose political goals to the Council that the Union must pursue and recommend a series of options., and without prejudicing the role of the European Commission, it shall supervise implementation of the measures adopted and evaluate their effects. Cops has the responsibility of the "political control and strategic direction" of military reaction to a crisis, the annex states.
- transform the current interim Military Body into a Permanent Military Committee, and this at the time its first President is designated (but no later than the end of June of this year). The President of the Military Committee (who shall be a four-star officer, preferably a former Chief of Defence of a Member State) shall exercise his duties for three years, except in exceptional circumstances. The Military Committee shall make recommendations on all military issues to Cops, at the latter's request or on its own initiative.
- establish within the General Secretariat of the Council an EU military Staff Headquarters to replace the national military experts already seconded to the Council, and this following a decision by the High Representative, following consultation with Cops and the Military Committee, and no later the end of June of this year.
(2) Concerning the permanent arrangements for EU/NATO consultation and cooperation, it confirmed that the NATO Council and COPS would meet at least three times during each presidency (bi-annual) of the EU Council and that it will hold at least one EU/NATO ministerial meeting per EU Presidency. The EU and NATO may request additional meetings if necessary, specifies the Council, which is pleased to note "the identity of views between the EU and NATO".
