Brussels, 23/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Monday in Brussels, defence ministers of EU Member States took stock of the improvements made to military capabilities and also of the reforms needed so that EU armed forces may adapt to crisis management in the context of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
The Council approved a new catalogue of needs, a list of equipment that the EU requires for the various crisis scenarios in which it may have to intervene. The list (updated every six months) shows that the situation has improved in the following areas only: - deployable laboratories (ground capabilities); - Seaport of Disembarkation (SPOD) Unit (in the maritime area); - Operations Headquarters (OHQs) (in C31 field); - and Mechanised Infantry Battalions.
The president-in-office of the Defence Council, Luxembourg minister Luc Frieden, said Europe does not wish to become a Europe with a military dimension. It does, however, want a foreign policy in which the defence dimension plays an important role. For this, rapidly deployable military capabilities are needed in various places in the world.
On the subject of rapid response, the Council noted that the results of the battle group coordination conference held on 11 May were “encouraging”. It also noted that the first two years of the fully operational capability period, namely 2007 and 2008, will be covered by the battle groups formed by member States, including one third country (Norway) in compliance with the conclusions of the Council of 22 November 2004, except for the second half of 2007, for which one of the two contributions required is still awaited. The Council encourages Member States to address this issue during a forthcoming battle group coordination conference which will allow the EU to have full capacity from 1 January 21007 to undertake two rapid response operations involving a battle group at the same time, including the ability to launch the two operations almost simultaneously. The Council also noted that the initial offers were announced for after 2008. The updated list of battle groups is: 3 in 2005 (one by the United Kingdom, one by France and one by Italy) 3 in 2006 (the first formed by France and Germany, the second by Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece and the third by France, Germany and Belgium); 3 in 2007 (the first Franco-Belgian group, the second formed by Germany, the Netherlands and Finland and the third by Italy, Hungary and Slovenia. A fourth battle group is missing for the second half of 2007); 4 in 2008 (Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Norway for the first; Spain, France and Germany for the second; Germany, France, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg for the 3rd; and a fourth formed by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands).
The EU decided last year to acquire 13 battle groups by 2007 to be deployed, in turn, within several days anywhere in the world in order to have a rapid military intervention capability in the event of emerging crises. Each of the groups will be composed of 1,500 men, deployable within 15 days.
Mr Frieden announced that the exercises would be launched after adoption by the EU defence ministers of recommendations aimed at ensuring that the EU decision-making and planning process could be conducted within five days after approval of the crisis management concept by the Council and the decision to launch an operation, especially for operations involving battle groups.
The Council also adopted standards of behaviour to be applied to all categories of personnel involved in operations under European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). “European soldiers in the world are like our visiting card”, Mr Frieden said, specifying that these standards invite the personnel to report any violation of human rights and to respect ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of the local population. They ban sexual exploitation or the use of drugs. It is a code of conduct so that EU soldiers are worthy representatives of the EU in difficult missions throughout the world.