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The Cologne Presidency Report on strengthening
the common European policy on security and defence, while reaffirming that
NATO remains the foundation of the collective defence of its members, said
that the focus of EU efforts would be to ensure that the Union has at its
disposal "the necessary capabilities (including military capabilities)
and appropriate structures for effective decision making in crisis management
within the scope of the Petersberg tasks".
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The Helsinki European Council agreed
that the objective is for the Union to have an autonomous capacity to take
decisions and, where NATO as a whole is not engaged, to launch and then
conduct EU-led military operations in response to international crises.
In order to assume their responsibilities across the full range of Petersberg
tasks, Member States therefore decided to develop more effective military
capabilities and to establish new political and military structures for
these tasks. Cologne had identified and Helsinki agreed to establish 4
pol/mil components within the Council to enable the Union to take decisions
on EU-led Petersberg operations and to ensure, under the authority of the
Council, the necessary political control and strategic direction of such
operation:
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regular (or ad hoc) meetings of the
General Affairs Council, with the participation as appropriate of Defence
Ministers;
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a standing Political and Security Committee
(PSC) in Brussels composed of national representatives of senior/ambassadorial
level dealing with all aspects of CFSP, including the CESDP.
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an EU Military Committee composed of
the Chiefs of Defence, represented by their military delegates,
which will give military advice
and make recommendations to the PSC, as well as provide military direction
to the Military Staff;
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an EU Military Staff within the Council
structures which will provide military expertise and support to the CESDP,
including the conduct of EU-led military crisis management operations.
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It is envisaged that defence ministers
will be able to play their part and in particular provide guidance on specific
defence matters without the need for new institutional arrangements. For
example, defence ministers could meet when particular defence topics were
to be discussed (eg links with NATO force planning or further development
of European military capabilities).
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This paper addresses the permanent military
bodies and the arrangements and procedures which the EU will require for
the planning and conduct of EU-led operations in such circumstances, taking
into account the principles and arrangements agreed at Washington, Cologne
and Helsinki to ensure that these complement the European pillar of the
Alliance. It does not discuss the interim arrangements, non-military crisis
management issues, nor the wider pol-mil machinery and decision-making
procedures that will need to be developed but assumes that these will also
reflect, where appropriate, those
principles. In particular, the paper does not seek to define the circumstances
which might lead to a decision to mount an EU-led operation in the absence
of a NATO operation or those in which an EU-led operation would not involve
the use of NATO assets and capabilities under the envisaged 'Berlin plus'
arrangements. Such decisions would be reached on a case by case basis through
full consultation and transparency between the EU and NATO. Nor does the
paper address the arrangements which will need to be made for accommodating
the non-EU European Allies with regard to the mechanisms discussed - these
will need further consideration.
EU MILITARY BODIES
The European Military Committee
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Roles. The European Military Committee
(EMC) would be the highest EU military body. It would provide for consultation
and co-operation between the Member States and give military advice and
make recommendations to the appropriate EU political authorities and provide
military direction to a European Military Staff (EMS) - described further
below- on their behalf. Directives to and advice from the EMS would routinely
be promulgated through the Chairman of the EMC, thus allowing the Committee
the opportunity to make recommendations and highlight issues as appropriate.
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Composition. - The EMC would be a permanent
body composed of the fifteen EU Chiefs of Defence Staff (consideration
will need to be given to its relationship with the non EU European Allies).
Day-to-day business would be conducted by national military delegates,
who for those European nations who are also NATO members, would ideally
be dual hatted with the nation's NATO representative (although this would
be a matter for national decision). The EMC would convene at the level
of national representatives on a routine basis and at the level of Chiefs
of Defence Staff as appropriate, but twice a year as a minimum.
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The Chairman of the EMC would be a 4-star
officer, such as a former Chief of Defence, selected (from outside the
EMC) by the Chiefs of Defence of the EU Member States. He would act exclusively
in an international capacity and his authority would stem from the Military
Committee, to which he would be responsible for the performance of his
duties. He would participate as appropriate in the Political and Security
Committee and in the NATO Military Committee with rights to contribute
to discussions [(although he will be a member of neither)], and he would
have a close working relationship with the High Representative for CFSP.
He will attend meetings of the Council when decisions with defence implications
are to be taken. He would direct the day-to-day business of the EMC and
act on behalf of the EMC in issuing directives and guidance to the Director
of the EMS.
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Reflecting his responsibilities for
NATO's European Pillar and his potential role in EU-led operations, DSACEUR
would normally participate as appropriate in the EMC, although not a member.
To provide transparency between the EU and the Alliance, the Chairmen of
the EU and the NATO Military Committees should also be able to attend the
other committee. In the case of operations, the EU operation commander
would also attend or be represented at the EMC.
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Questions of participation, composition,
cross representation with NATO or with other EU bodies have not yet been
fully covered and will be dealt with at a later stage, thus indications
given here on those matters are only illustrative at this stage.
The European Military Staff
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The European Military Staff (EMS) would
provide military expertise and capacity to support the EU's CFSP, including
in the conduct of all EU-led military operations. The EMS would work under
the political direction of the EU political authorities and the military
direction of the EMC. The EMS will not itself act as an operational HQ
but should:
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perform three main Operational functions:
early warning, situation assessment and strategic planning, as described
in paragraphs 10 and 11;
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provide a dedicated source of military
expertise to the EU in peace time, crisis management situations, and during
EU-led operations;
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act as an interface between the EU's
political and military authorities and the military resources available
to the EU;
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be capable, in particular, of providing
effective military support to the EMC during the strategic planning phase
of crisis management situations over the full range of Petersberg tasks,
whether or not the EU draws on NATO assets and capabilities;
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have working procedures and operational
concepts based on, and in any case compatible with, those in NATO.
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Roles. In peace time it would:
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provide military expertise on EU defence
policy issues;
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monitor potential crises, for which
it will need, in addition to its own capacities in the Satellite Centre,
ready access to appropriate national and multinational intelligence;
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carry out generic strategic planning
for Petersberg missions;
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identify European national and multinational
forces for EU-led operations;
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co-ordinate and stimulate the development
of European military capabilities, developing an appropriate relationship
with NATO's force planning process;
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contribute to the development (including
training and exercises) of European national and multinational forces in
co-ordination with NATO as appropriate;
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organise and co-ordinate operating procedures
with national, multinational and NATO HQs available to the EU;
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programme, plan, conduct and evaluate
the exercising of the military aspects of the EU's crisis management machinery,
including the relationship with any selected Military Strategic Operation
HQ (which will include exercising EU-NATO procedures);
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liaise with national HQs, European multinational
force HQs and NATO.
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In crisis management situations, the
main task of the EMS would be to provide a set of prioritised military
strategic options to the PSC through the EMC. To do this it would need
to:
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request and handle intelligence and
other relevant information from all available sources (including the Satellite
Centre, European nations and NATO) and provide a military situation assessment
to the PSC;
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develop and prioritise military strategic
options based on this assessment by:
• defining initial broad options,
• drawing as appropriate on planning
support from external sources (using the assured access to NATO when in
place, national planning capabilities and multinational HQs available to
the EU) who will analyse and elaborate these options in more detail;
• evaluating the results of this
more detailed work and commissioning any further work that might be necessary;
• presenting an overall assessment,
with an indication of priorities and recommendations as appropriate, to
the Chairman of the EMC;
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identify, in co-ordination with national
planning staffs and, as appropriate, NATO, European forces that might participate
in possible EU-led operations;
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continue to monitor crisis situations.
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During EU-led operations, the EMS would:
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support the PSC/EMC in the drafting
of Initial Planning Directives, Planning Directives and Mission Directives;
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continuously monitor the operation and
conduct strategic analysis to support both the PSC in its role of strategic
direction and the EMC in its role of providing military guidance, in coordination
with the designated European Operation Commander.
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provide new options in co-ordination
with the Operation Commander as required, in the light of political and
operational developments.
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Organisation. The EMS would:
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work under the authority of the Director
EMS, whose rank needs further consideration but who would be subordinate
to the Chairman of the EMC;
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be organised to cope with the full range
of Petersberg tasks, whether or not the EU has recourse to NATO assets
and capabilities;
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consist of a permanent core, organised
to perform five main staff functions: intelligence assessment; situation
monitoring; strategic planning; force preparedness, (including training
and logistics); and administration. It would have sufficient capacity and
facilities for rapid augmentation in times of crisis to provide in particular
24 hour manning. This is currently estimated to require around 60-90 officers
although this can only be determined as a result of a much more detailed
study of composition, staffing, and structure.
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be located as close as possible to the
EU CFSP Machinery/EMC (preferably co-located);
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require a command and information system
which has full connectivity with capitals, national and multinational HQs,
as well as NATO;
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during crisis management situations,
set up a dedicated Crisis Action Team (CAT) to undertake military situation.
assessment, strategic planning and operations monitoring. The CAT will
draw upon the EMS for manpower and expertise and, if necessary, on external
temporary military augmentation.
THE PLANNING AND CONDUCT OF EU-LED
OPERATIONS
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The Cologne Presidency Report on strengthening
of the common European policy on security and defence noted that according
to the requirements of the case, the EU would need to conduct operations
with or without recourse to NATO assets and capabilities. This section
of the paper considers the procedures for the planning and conduct of both
types of EU-led operations recognising that close coordination will be
required with NATO, particularly in the early stages of a crisis, before
it is clear whether or not NATO or the EU will be engaged militarily, and
contingency strategic planning may be required by both the EU and NATO.
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Strategic Planning. In the early stages
of a potential or emerging crisis, the focus of the EU's activities is
likely to be on diplomatic, humanitarian and economic crisis prevention
measures. As a crisis emerges, the EMS would provide an initial military
situation assessment to the PSC through the Chairman of the EMC, drawing
on all available information sources, including NATO, national and multinational
sources, to inform this assessment. The PSC, together with the Policy Planning
and Early Warning Unit and other relevant elements of the European Council
Secretariat, advised by the
EMS assessment, would develop a
pol/mil framework for addressing the crisis. Once this framework has been
agreed by nations, the PSC, through the Chairman of the EMC, would task
the EMS to develop and prioritise military strategic options. These could
include options for operations with or without use of NATO assets and capabilities.
Operational Planning and Command
Requirements
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The EMC and EMS would be permanent military
components of the CFSP decision making structure for all types of EU-led
operations. Other planning capabilities, command structures, and other
military assets would be drawn from NATO or from national or multinational
sources. Below the EMS level, the chain of command for EU-led operations
will need to encompass three levels. The Operation Commander would need
a Military Strategic Operation HQ to plan the mounting and conduct of a
joint operation. In addition, a wide-ranging joint operation would require
an HQ which would carry out planning at theatre level, deploy as a theatre
HQ and conduct the operation in the field. Finally, supporting and component
HQs would be required according to circumstances. In some cases, for less
complex operations, it may be possible to simplify these arrangements.
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For EU led operations that make use
of NATO assets and capabilities:
the EU will be able to draw on the
arrangements agreed at the NATO Washington Summit. These arrangements will,
when fully implemented, provide the EU with extensive, capable and proven
multinational military resources to plan and conduct operations in support
of its Common Foreign and Security Policy, in particular: assured access
to NATO planning capabilities; presumption of access to pre-identified
NATO capabilities and common assets. a range of European command options;
and a defence planning process adapted to incorporate more comprehensively
European needs.
Where it is decided that Operation
Plans for an EU-led military operation should be developed, the PSC, taking
advice from the EMC, would select a military strategic option (or options)
to be pursued further.
At this stage, the PSC/Council would
also appoint an Operation Commander and Military Strategic Operation HQ,
and consider designating a Force Commander and theatre HQ:
DSACEUR and SHAPE have already been
identified as the primary, although not the only candidates, for Operation
Commander and Military Strategic Operation HQ. NATO also has a range of
deployable and proven theatre and component HQs, with well-established
procedures for multinational operations and capable of augmentation (including
the specially designed Combined Joint Task Force);
For all types of operation, the options
for supporting and component HQs would include all the range of existing
European Multinational and national forces and commands.
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For EU-led operations without recourse
to NATO assets and capabilities:
planning and command requirements
would draw on existing national and multinational HQs available to the
EU. The military Strategic operation HQ would be based on the multi-nationalisation
of existing national HQs by participating nations, and a theatre HQ created
from a national capability similarly reinforced by contributing nations.
When fully implemented, systematic arrangements in peacetime for multinationalising
existing national HQs to act as a multinationalised joint national HQ and
the development of multinational HQs would provide access to a range of
European operational planning capabilities and command options. In the
long run, some less ad hoe collective capability for operational planning
and command at the strategic level could have to be developed within the
EU.
Where it is decided that Operation
Plans for an EU-led military operation should be developed, the PSC, taking
advice from the EMC, would select a military strategic option (or options)
to be pursued further.
At this stage, the PSC/Council would
also appoint an Operation Commander and Military Strategic Operation HQ,
and consider designating a Force Commander and theatre HQ:
a Military Strategic Operation HQ
would need to be based on the multinationalisation of an existing national
HQ by participating nations, and a theatre HQ would need to be created
from a national capability similarly reinforced
For all types of operation, the options
for supporting and component HQs would include all the range of existing
European Multinational and national forces and commands.
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The selected Operation Commander would
be tasked to develop a Concept of Operations and Operation Plan for the
selected military strategic option. The EMS would continue to provide,
through the Chairman of the EMC, strategic planning guidance to the Operation
Commander and military advice to the PSC. During this planning phase, close
cooperation and transparency would continue to be necessary between the
appropriate EU and NATO authorities, to ensure a shared understanding of
the possible requirements for NATO assets and capabilities to support the
operation.
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The operation planning documents (Concept
of Operations, Operation Plan) and associated technical documents (Communication
and Information Systems, Status of Forces Agreement, Rules of Engagement
etc) prepared by the Operation Commander would be submitted for political
approval with the EMS and EMC making recommendations and highlighting issues
as appropriate. Once these planning documents were approved, NATO assets
and capabilities would, if required, be requested from and released by
NATO to the EU, according to procedures to be agreed that will build upon
the work already undertaken by NATO and the WEU.
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Conduct of Operations. Once an EU-led
operation was launched, the Chairman of the EMC, along with the Operation
Commander would report to the EU political authorities on its conduct.
The EU would also keep NATO informed of the progress of the operation,
particularly where NATO assets and capabilities are involved. The EMS would
continue to monitor the situation and support both the EU political authorities
and the EMC. Proposals or requests for changes in the mission, Operation
Plans or assets and capabilities required would be handled through the
procedures described in paragraphs 19-21 above.
ANNEX
TERMINOLOGY
Crisis Action Team
A team of staff officers established
during a crisis from the EMS permanent structure, and if necessary external
augmentation, to undertake military situation assessment, strategic planning,
and monitoring of an ongoing crisis or operation.
EU-led operation
A military operation conducted by
European forces under the political control and strategic direction of
the European Union. It may be an operation with or without recourse to
NATO collective assets and capabilities.
European Forces
National and multinational forces
that are available to the EU for the conduct of EU-led operations. Many
of these will also be declared to NATO.
Military Situation
An assessment of possible military
activities in Assessment response to an emerging or potential crisis situation,
conducted by the EMS on the basis of intelligence requested from NATO,
nations, and other sources. The military situation assessment is part of
the strategic planning process and is an input to the development of the
pol/mil framework.
Military Strategic Option
A possible military action designed
to achieve the pol/mil objectives outlined in the pol/mil framework. A
military strategic option will describe the outline military solution,
the required resources, constraints and chain of command. The European
Military Staff will frame initial broad options, which will be analysed
and elaborated by external sources, as part of the strategic planning process.
Military Strategic Operation HQ
An HQ responsible for the planning
and conduct of operations at the Military Strategic level of command. The
Military Strategic Operation HQ will interact with the EU political authorities.
The Operation Commander will be located at the Military Strategic Operation
HQ.
Operation Planning
Military planning activities undertaken
by the Operation Commander to develop a Concept of Operations and/or can
Operation Plan in accordance with selected military strategic options and/or
planning directives from the EMCIEMS. While operation planning is the responsibility
of the Operation Commander, planning activities will take place, under
his direction, at each of the three levels of military operations: the
military strategic level, the theatre level and the tactical/component
level.
Pol/MiI Framework
A conceptual framework describing
the EUs overall approach to the management of a particular crisis, addressing
the full range of CFSP activity (diplomatic, economic, humanitarian, military)
and including the definition of politico-military objectives for any possible
military activities. The definition of the pol/mil framework is part of
the strategic planning process.
Strategic Planning
Planning activities that start as
soon as a crisis emerges and end when the EU political authorities approve
a military strategic option or a set of military strategic options. The
strategic planning process encompasses military situation assessment, definition
of a pollmil framework and development of military strategic options
Theatre HQ
This HQ will be subordinate to the
Military Strategic Operation HQ and will be responsible for the planning
and conduct of operations at the theatre level of command. The Force Commander
will be located at the theatre HQ. This HQ will be deployed in theatre
or afloat.
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