Introduction

This report is in two parts. The first part reviews the legal context and the developments in European security and defence policy since the Cologne European Council (3 and 4 June 1999), the progress made and gaps remaining (paragraphs 5 to 30).

The first part also presents the specific features of defence issues and the diversity of the situations of the various States in relation to defence issues (paragraphs 31 to 44).

This first part, finally, describes the new challenges and threats which the Union and its Member States have to face. The way the strategic context has evolved has been an important element in the
reflections of the Working Group and the formulation of its recommendations.

The second part of the report contains the Working Group's recommendations, several of which have received wide support:
– updating the Petersberg tasks (paragraph 51);
– improving the arrangements provided for crisis management, in order to improve the coherence and effectiveness of the Union's action (paragraph 52);
– ensuring flexibility in decision-making and in action, both through more extensive use of constructive abstention and through the setting-up of a specific form of closer cooperation between those Member States wishing to carry out the most demanding Petersberg tasks and having the capabilities needed for that commitment to be credible (paragraphs 53 to 55);
– introducing a solidarity clause to enable Member States inter alia to prevent and respond to terrorist threats within the Union by mobilising all the necessary military and civil instruments (paragraphs 57 and 58);
– setting up a European Armaments and Strategic Research Agency to strengthen the industrial and technological base of the defence sector, allow Member States to pursue different cooperation programmes among themselves (paragraphs 64 and 65) and ensure fulfilment of capabilities commitments (paragraphs 66 and 67);
– giving the High Representative for the common foreign and security policy the responsibility for directing Union action and for coordinating Member States' efforts as regards defence (paragraph 71);
– ensuring suitable parliamentary scrutiny (paragraphs 72 and 73)...

To read the full document see: http://register.consilium.eu.int/pdf/en/02/cv00/00461en2.pdf