Brussels, 18/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - EU Member State defence ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday are expected to welcome recent progress made in military and civilian capabilities and adopt a “code of conduct” aimed at opening the defence procurement market up to competition. During lunch, they will speak of the crisis management operations conducted by the EU in Bosnia-Herzegovina (with a view to extending the mandate that is due to expire at the end of the year), in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Troika of EU defence ministers will also meet during the afternoon, together with Turkey, Croatia, Iceland and Norway.
Military capabilities: The Council will welcome the success of the Battlegroups Coordination Conference on 8 November. An agreement was reached on the only battlegroup that was still lacking for the second half of 2007. Greece will be the framework nation for the battlegroup in question, integrating contributions from Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus. The agreement allows the EU to meet its objectives: as of 1 January 2007, two battlegroups of 1500 persons will be permanently placed on standby and immediately ready to be deployed in Africa, the Middle East, if not Central Asia, in situations of crisis management. Also, the EU will have the capacity to launch two operations almost simultaneously.
In the context of implementation of the overall objective in the run up to 2010, the Council will approve the 2005 Catalogue of Requirements, which identifies military capabilities and force requirements for fulfilling tasks incumbent upon the EU. The catalogue places emphasis on armed forces deployable for long operations. The Council will note the “Single Progress Report on military capabilities” and an updated overview (every six months) will be published on capabilities improvement.
EDA: A ministerial meeting of the steering committee of the European Defence Agency (EDA) chaired by the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, will be held at 11h00 on the sidelines of the Council. Ministers are expected to formally adopt a voluntary code of conduct between Member States intended to encourage competition in the European defence equipment market. The code of conduct may take effect during the year 2006. Furthermore, ministers will note a report on the EDA's work programme for 2006.
Civilian sector of CFSP: On the fringe of the Council, a Civilian Capabilities Improvement Conference will be held, devoted to the aim of making police forces and judiciary personnel available for EU-led civilian missions. Ministers will adopt a declaration stressing the growing role of civilian crisis management (as demonstrated in the latest missions sent to Rafah, Palestine, Aceh, DRC, Sudan and to the border between Moldova and Ukraine).