Brussels, 15/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The aims, the working and the timetable of the future exercises intended to test the European crisis management mechanisms were defined in the "exercise policy" document and the "programme of exercises" adopted on Monday by the Defence and Foreign Ministers (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.6). The result of these tests will allow crisis management procedures to be adopted "in the light of experience" and to analyse what the "requirements in new capabilities" are, explains the policy paper.
The first exercises in the form of a "working group" will be held at Community level before the end of the month of May, then in October. The most far-reaching tests, involving NATO and third countries associated in the crisis management mechanism, will begin in May/June then in November 2002. The essential part of testing will concern the decision-making and coordination structures between the parties involved. An indicative programme is also established for the following years.
The objective defined by the policy paper will mainly be to verify: 1) coordination between the European institutions and the Member States; 2) interaction between the civilian and military instruments, a particularly sensitive point of European crisis management mechanisms; 3) the working of the strategic partnership between the EU and NATO; 4) consultation between the members of NATO that do not belong to the EU and the other countries applying for EU membership; 5) cooperation mechanisms with the other international organisations: the United Nations, OSCE, the Council of Europe; 6) consultation with other potential partners and, in particular, "cooperation with NGOs could be envisaged".
The functioning of practical and institutional cooperation between the EU and NATO takes up a large part of the policy document. While Turkey's veto still blocks agreement between NATO and the EU on "automatic" access to planning capabilities and other NATO assets (logistics and command) in the event of crisis, the document specifies that the key element will be to ensure access to NATO planning capabilities and pre-identified assets in times of crisis, each organisation acting on an equal footing and without discrimination against their members.
The joint management of the exercises with NATO will be based on operation scenarios conducted by the EU, for which the EU will have recourse to NATO means and capabilities, notes the document. It adds that the EU and NATO could consider it necessary to proceed to exercises on the use of the NATO headquarters for EU-led operations.
At the institutional level, the document notes that the Council should approve annual exercise programmes, to be developed in the context of an indicative five-year programme. The financing arrangements for such exercises "must be specified". The Swedish Presidency plans to present a financial analysis paper to the Gothenburg Summit.