Yesterday, the Foreign Affairs Council started by a review of pressing issues on the international  agenda: the situation in Myanmar/Burma, the latest developments on the implementation of the JCPOA (Iran Deal) and the situation in Venezuela.

Over lunch, foreign ministers and defense ministers exchanged views on security and defense in the context of the implementation of the EU Global Strategy and the EU-NATO cooperation with the Secretary-General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.

Regarding the Global Strategy, the Council conclusions highlight the progress achieved in strengthening cooperation in the area of security and defense. A joint notification by member states expressing their intention to participate to the permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) was presented to all members of the Council. The conclusions also underline both the importance to step up the European Defense fund (established in June 2017), and the coordinated annual review on defense (CARD). According the Council “CARD will help operationalize the Capability Development Plan and identify new areas for launching cooperative projects, which could be considered in the PESCO and/or European Defence Fund frameworks”.

Regarding the cooperation with NATO, the importance of the Permanent Structured Cooperation was underlined. NATO doesn’t perceive the duplication. In fact, according to Jens Stoltenberg, the EU and NATO have to work together in order to avoid that the same nations have two sets of requirements for what kind of capabilities they should develop, and that forces and capabilities developed under PESCO are also available for NATO.

Maria Elena Argano

For further information:

European Council Site: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/11/13/security-and-defence-cooperation-council-highlights-the-significant-progress-made/

European Council Site : http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/fac/2017/11/13/

NATO website: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_148838.htm