Brussels, 01/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - As is known, the Danish Presidency of the EU will not be chairing meetings of EU bodies dealing with defence policy as a result of the Danish opt out (obtained in Edinburgh in December 1992) on these issues. Denmark will be replaced as chair for defence issues by Greece (which will be holding the next Presidency of the EU, in the first six months of 2003).
A report submitted by Denmark to the other Member States in the last few months points out that the provisions in the Edinburgh Decision were supplemented in the Amsterdam Treaty by a Protocol on Denmark's position, which is annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty. The provisions concerning the exemption are contained in Article 6 of the Protocol, whereby Denmark shall not be obliged to contribute to the financing of operational expenditure arising from measures falling under the exemption, apart from administrative costs. The same article notes that Denmark will not prevent the development of closer co-operation between Member States in this area. The report notes that Article 7 of the Protocol stipulates that in accordance with its constitutional provisions, at any time Denmark can inform the other Member States that it no longer wishes to make use of all or some of the provisions in the Protocol, but that a Danish statement in this respect can only be made following a referendum (see Europe of 28 June, p.6 on statements made to a few reporters by the Danish prime minister Rasmussen).
The report notes that the Danish government's position with respect to the development of ESDP is based on parliamentary resolutions, most recently in December 1999 when the Folketing urged the government to "carefully monitor the development and play an active part in all deliberations and to ensure Danish interests in the future EU efforts concerning crisis management and the European defence dimension in full respect of the Danish exemption".
The report explains the implications of this situation for the Danish Presidency, pointing out that
Denmark will not preside in fora where topics are predominantly of a defence character, ie meetings of defence ministers (irrespective of the format for the meeting), meetings in the Military Committee and its subgroups and in other working groups that primarily discuss defence-related issues.
Denmark will preside in fora dealing with topics of general ESDP, ie in the European Council, in the General Affairs Council, in PSC (Political and Security Committee) and in the traditional CFSP working groups. The report explains: "This will also apply in cases where elements relating to defence might enter the discussion. However, if an agenda point in the General Affairs Council or in PSC related only to defence is dealt with, Denmark will refrain from presiding over the discussion on that particular agenda point. Denmark is naturally aware that in situations of crisis under all circumstances a decision can be made that the Security General/the High Representative will preside over meetings in PSC". Similar guidelines will apply to exercises organised under ESDP.
For meetings with international organisations or third countries the same principle will, as far as possible, apply, ie where topics are predominantly of a defence character, Denmark will refrain from presiding. Denmark will not preside in relation to permanent co-operation agreements with NATO, including at council level, PSC/NAC level or any working groups between the two organisations. However, if a topic or generally non-defence character is death with, Denmark is willing to preside but it will not preside at meetings with the six European-allied non-EU countries nor with candidate countries concerning topics of a predominantly defence character, although it will preside over "other meetings with international organisations or general dialogue with third countries, even though elements touching on defence issues might be brought up".
The document delicately outlines what Denmark will and will not do with regard to defence and stresses that holding the Presidency "does not only involve presiding at meetings, but also ensuring the progress of the matters death with and cohesion in relation to other issues. Denmark will attend to these tasks with the exemption of areas of a predominantly defence character, eg the headline goal process… Denmark will co-ordinate closely with whosoever presides in the different fora with a view to ensuring that the Presidency is coherent and efficient".