The progressive assertion of the EU

The progressive assertion of the European Union in the field of defence

The European co-operation took these last years a new step forward marked by the pre-eminence, at the side of NATO, of the European Union initiatives.

The EU displays from now on its will to develop the Europe of defence and has acquired adequate institutional tools (Political and Security Committee - PSC* - EU Military Committee - EUMC -, EU Military Staff - EUMS-).

The EU also started the process of developing the military capabilities(European Capabilities Action Plan - ECAP* -) which it needed to carry out , by itself if appropriate, the so-called Petersberg missions (of peacekeeping or peace enforcement).

Thus, one observes a tendency to the progressive bringing together of the various initiatives of defence co-operation, until then external to the institutions of the EU.

This phenomenon increases since early 2002, first in the context of the work of the Convention then of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), aiming at establishing a constitutional treaty for the Union.

The European defence and armaments build-up shall also allow to strengthen the European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance which remains the basis of our collective security and the reference framework for the definition of the conditions of interoperability of the allied forces and the carrying out of the great infrastructure programmes.

(*): more information only available in French