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Council Conclusions on EU Security and Defence Policy

Council of the European Union, 2800th EXTERNAL RELATIONS Council meeting, Brussels

The Council adopted the following conclusions:

"Military Capabilities

1. The Council noted with satisfaction the progress made in implementing the qualitative approach to capability planning called for by the Headline Goal (HLG) 2010.

2. The Council noted the Assessment of Member States' contributions to the Force Catalogue 07 as another important step within the HLG 2010 process. It welcomed the additional contributions offered by Member States in light of the capability shortfalls identified as a result of the Assessment.

3. The Council further noted that the Evaluation Methodology has been finalised. This will be the basis for the Evaluation process, in which the implications of the remaining capability shortfalls as identified in the Assessment will be analysed to evaluate resulting potential operational risks.

4. The Council encouraged all stakeholders involved to make the necessary efforts in order to complete the Evaluation process within the envisaged timelines and to ensure finalisation of the Progress Catalogue in order to be submitted to the GAERC meeting in November 2007. This catalogue will contain a comprehensive assessment of EU military capabilities needed to fulfil the requirements set out in the Requirements Catalogue. In this context, the Progress Catalogue will identify all military shortfalls, categorise them in terms of their possible implications on ESDP operations (potential operational risk), and serve as a platform for shortfall management and future capability development.

5. The Council noted the Single Progress Report on military capabilities. Concerning the European Capabilities Action Plan (ECAP), the Council noted that the migration of ECAP Project Groups (ECAP PGs) within the European Defence Agency's processes has been completed, and looked forward to a possible way-ahead on the future of the remaining ECAP PGs.

6. The Council welcomed the close co-operation between the EU Military Committee and the European Defence Agency (EDA), in particular in the work of Integrated Development Teams and Project Teams and in the development of the Capability Development Plan.

7. The Council welcomed the continued co-operation between the EU and NATO. The EU-NATO Capability Group continued to provide a forum for exchanging information on the development of military capabilities in the EU and NATO where requirements overlap. All EU Member States were informed of these issues.

8. The Council noted the work on Information Exchange Requirements (IER), including a methodology noted by the Political and Security Committee in February 2007, aimed at defining operational requirements for exchanging information between all entities, both civilian and military, that may interact in support of ESDP operations with a view to a comprehensive approach. The Council looked forward to the establishment of an agreed IER which will provide a reference point from which EU Network Enabled Capability (NEC) activities can be built.

9. The Council noted with satisfaction that the EU Operations Centre has reached operational capability, providing the EU with an additional capability to plan and run an autonomous EU military operation, in particular where a joint civil/military response is required and where no national Headquarters has been identified, once a decision on such an operation has been taken.

Rapid Response

10. The Council noted with satisfaction that on 1st January 2007, the EU reached the Full Operational Capability to undertake two Battlegroup (BG) size operations of rapid response, including the ability to launch two such operations nearly simultaneously. The Council welcomed the efforts undertaken by MS to provide a multinational Maritime Task Group in order to make short-notice support to their EU BGs available. The Council welcomed the successful outcome of the six-monthly BG Co-ordination Conference on 3 May, in particular Member States' confirmed commitments and additional offers allowing the BG schedule to be completed up to the first half of 2010.

11. The Council noted the ongoing work on a possible revision of the EU Military Rapid Response Concept, based on a Tri-Presidency (Germany-Portugal-Slovenia) Food-for-Thought paper, in a joint perspective and taking into account the comprehensive approach to crisis management, bearing in mind the EU´s level of ambition as laid down in the HLG 2010 process. This paper aims at developing procedures to generate forces rapidly, drawing from the Force Catalogue 2007 and additional voluntary force contributions by Member States. This work, which shall be concluded by mid-2008, will take due account of the results of Rapid Response Air Initiative and Maritime Rapid Response Concept, which should be elaborated by mid-2007. The Council welcomed the results of the first workshops on the Study for the Rapid Response Air Initiative in ESDP held in the first semester of 2007, including a possible mechanism allowing the rapid generation of those (air) capabilities listed in the Requirements Catalogue 2005. It noted that Member States may offer additional voluntary contributions. The Council looked forward to the further refinement of capability packages listed in the Requirements Catalogue, in order to allow Member States to offer interoperable subcomponents to an operation. With regard to the Maritime Dimension in ESDP, the Council welcomed the Maritime Dimension Study as noted by the EUMC in December 2006.

European Defence Agency

12. The Council noted the report submitted by the Head of the Agency on its activities.

13. The Council noted with satisfaction progress made in the development of the three longer-term strategies:

14. In the context of the Capability Development Plan, the Council noted in particular the development of a methodology to be agreed in June 2007, looked forward to the establishment of a roadmap and highlighted the necessary close co-ordination between the EUMC and the EDA.

15. The Council welcomed the successful implementation of the Code of Conduct on Defence Procurement along with the Code of Best Practices for the Supply Chain. In this regard, the Council noted with satisfaction the listing in the Electronic Bulletin Board of opportunities offered by Member States' Ministries of Defence to suppliers in each other's territories and, since March 29, advertising industry-to-industry contracting opportunities. The Council welcomed the decision of Hungary to join the intergovernmental regime on defence procurement on 01 July 2007.

16. The Council welcomed the signature of the Programme Arrangement concerning the Defence R&T Joint Investment Programme on Force Protection. It welcomed the growing number of ad hoc projects under the EDA, including in the area of Software Defined Radio.

Upcoming Civilian Missions

17. The Council welcomed the progress made in planning for new civilian crisis management missions and expressed its appreciation for the performances of the various ongoing missions.

18. The Council welcomed the agreements on the ESDP police mission to Afghanistan (EUPOL Afghanistan) and on the ESDP Security Sector Reform police mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (EUPOL RD Congo).

19. The Council also noted the progress in planning, assisted by the EU Planning Team (EUPT Kosovo), for a possible ESDP mission in Kosovo in the field of Rule of Law, following the status agreement.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Operation ALTHEA)

20. The Council reviewed the ongoing reconfiguration of EUFOR in BiH, which is progressive, but reversible until the end of August 2007. Once EUFOR will have been reconfigured by summer 2007, it will consist of some 2,500 troops on the ground, backed up by over-the-horizon reserves, ready to respond to possible security challenges throughout the country and to provide reassurance. Cooperation with NATO in respect of Operation ALTHEA will continue.

21. The Council reiterated that, as part of its overall engagement in BiH, the EU would retain a military presence in the country as long as necessary, in order to continue contributing to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment.

Lessons learned EUFOR RD Congo

22. The Council welcomed the conclusion of the first stage of the Lessons Learned Process following the successful EU-led operation in DRC in 2006. It noted in particular the identification of gaps concerning the ability to conduct early planning in sufficient detail, inter alia, to allow Member states to assess their potential force contributions and to provide appropriate expertise along the decision-making process. The Council requested the SG/HR to address shortcomings in the EU Military Staff's ability to conduct planning at the strategic level for EU-led operations and to submit a report with recommendations, as appropriate, for consideration by the Council at its meeting in November 2007.

African capabilities for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts

23. The Council reaffirmed the importance it attaches to cooperation with African partners in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, and underlined its wish to see its further development in the context of the forthcoming EU-Africa Summit.

24. It welcomed the fact that, in close association with the African partners and in coordination with the other partners involved, and in particular the UN, several concrete proposals have been identified with a view to providing support to the development of the African Peace and Security Architecture, with a particular focus on making the African Standby Force (ASF) operational and enhancing AU and SRO's institutional capacities.

25. The Council adopted PSC recommendations and action plan aimed at strengthening the partnership between Africa and the EU in the field of African capabilities for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts (doc. 8551/2/07 REV2 ). The Council looks forward to the swift implementation of the action plan, including the development of RECAMP into a European instrument, in order, i.a., to support the AU's operational certification of the ASF at the continental level. The Council also encouraged Member States to make available other national programmes, both in Africa and in Europe, in support of the development of the ASF. The Council emphasised the importance of developing options for long-term solutions on funding and operational support for African peace support operations.

Security Sector Reform (SSR) in the Democratic Republic of Congo

26. The Council agreed that progress in SSR remains a key issue to the consolidation of the security and stability in the DRC.

27. The Council welcomed the fact that following the installation of the newly elected government in February 2007, the ESDP mission EUSEC RD Congo has continued to provide advice and assistance to the DRC authorities in carrying out the integration of combatants from former factions, and in reforming the Congolese armed forces, including regarding respect of the international standards of Human Rights. The Council welcomed the progress made by the chain-of-payments project and recalled the adoption of short-term measures for the reinforcement of EUSEC RD Congo. The Council noted preparations for the further reinforcement and expansion of the mission's mandate and welcomed agreement on a new civilian mission in the field of police reform, EUPOL RD Congo, while keeping the perspective of a possible single ESDP mission in the field of SSR in 2008.

28. The Council underlined that co-operation with other international actors, in particular with the UN, in the field of security sector reform is of the utmost importance. It recalled the European Union's readiness to assume a coordinating role in international efforts in security sector reform, in close co-operation with the United Nations, to support the Congolese authorities in this field.

Sudan/Darfur

29. The Council reaffirmed the EU's ongoing support for the African Union mission in the Darfur region of Sudan, AMIS, including through Member States' ongoing contributions of expert military and civilian police personnel and essential strategic airlift, as well as the very substantial financial support provided by the European Development Fund (EDF) and individual Member States. It renewed urgent calls upon other international partners to provide similar support.

30. The Council welcomed the ongoing efforts by the AU and UN jointly to enhance the capacities of the AMIS mission, particularly the agreement between the Sudanese Government, the AU and the UN on the Heavy Support Package, including attack helicopters, and underlined the critical need for the support to be provided by the UN. It noted the urgency of implementing the agreement with the perspective of transitioning to a full AU/UN hybrid mission in Darfur.

Human Rights and Gender

31. Recalling its conclusions of 13 November and 11 December 2006 the Council welcomed the fact that Human Rights and Gender issues have started to be systematically included in the planning and conduct of all ESDP operations, and subsequently evaluated in the lessons learned processes. It underlined the importance of Human Rights and Gender mainstreaming and called for reinforcement of efforts, particularly with a view to achieving more concrete progress in this field on the ground.

32. The Council also called for closer cooperation on these issues with EUSRs, whose mandates now contain specific provisions to address Human Rights and Gender issues. The Council recalled its invitation to Member States in this context to nominate more female candidates for CFSP/ESDP senior management positions, including for EUSRs.

33. The Council welcomed the first training course on Gender and ESDP, organised by Hungary with the support of the Presidency, and called for the course to be standardised and incorporated into the annual EU Training Programme relevant to ESDP. The Council reiterated its view that emphasis should also be put on mission-specific training in this field.

Training activities relevant to ESDP

34. The Council noted the continued efforts in the field of training relevant to ESDP and endorsed the results of the evaluation of the training activities in the Final Training Report 2007. It looked forward to further work in the field of training where shortfalls have been identified.

35. The Council furthermore took note of the 2007 General Annual Report on European Security and Defence College (ESDC) Activities and the successful conclusion of the second ESDP High Level Course and ESDP Orientation Courses.

36. The Council welcomed the fact that in the military field, the catalogue on sharing training facilities in the EU has been established and activated on the Council webpage.

37. The Council noted that many Member States participated actively in the European Community Project on Training for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management, considering it a very valuable additional element in the sense that it creates a European forum for exchange of views and best practices in the field of EU's civilian crisis management.

Exercises

38. The Council underlined the importance of the EU Military Exercise (MILEX 07) which will take place from 7 to 15 June 2007. The focus of this command post exercise is on key military aspects of crisis management. During this exercise, the EU Operations Centre will be activated for the first time. MILEX 07 will concentrate on the interaction between the EU Operations Centre in Brussels, and an EU Force Headquarters (FHQ) provided by Sweden.

39. The Council recalled the importance it attaches, in accordance with the EU exercise policy, to the planning and conduct of regular crisis management exercises, including jointly with NATO and with the participation of all EU Member States.

EU-UN Co-operation

40. The Council emphasised that the recent Operation EUFOR RD Congo in support of the MONUC during the electoral process in the DRC again demonstrated the EU's preparedness and ability to support through concrete action the efforts deployed by the UN to secure peace and stability and to engage in close co-operation with the UN at all levels.

41. Furthermore, the Council welcomed the continued close co-operation between the EU and the UN regarding support to the AU Mission in Darfur, Sudan (AMIS), including the ongoing implementation of the UN support package to AMIS.

42. The Council stressed that the EU is committed to further strengthening co-operation with the UN on crisis management, building in particular on experience gained so far.

43. In this context, the Council welcomed the Presidency's ESDP seminar on "Military aspects of UN-EU co-operation in crisis management operations in the light of EUFOR RD Congo", held in Berlin on 19-21 March 2007, and invited the competent Council bodies to consider its key recommendations."

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