Common defence policy A4-0171/98

Resolution on the gradual establishment of a common defence policy for the European Union

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Rule 148 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to its resolution of 24 March 1994 on the development of a common security and defence policy for the European Union - objectives, instruments and procedures (9),

- having regard to its resolution of 24 February 1994 on future relations between the European Union, the WEU and the Atlantic Alliance (10),

- having regard to its resolution of 18 May 1995 on progress in implementing the common foreign and security policy (November 1993 - December 1994) (11),

- having regard to its resolution of 18 July 1996 on progress in implementing the common foreign and security policy (January-December 1995) (12),

- having regard to its resolution of 12 June 1997 on progress in implementing the common foreign and security policy (January-December 1996) (13),

- having regard to its resolution of 14 June 1995 on the establishment of a European Union Analysis Centre for Active Crisis Prevention (14),

- having regard to its resolution of 14 May 1997 on the formulation of perspectives for the common security policy of the European Union (15),

- having regard to its resolution of 15 May 1997 on the Commission communication on the challenges facing the European defence-related industry, a contribution for action at European level (COM(96)0010 - C4-0093/96) (16),

- having regard to its resolution of 19 November 1997 on the Amsterdam Treaty (CONF 4007/97 - C4-0538/97) (17),

- having regard to the proposal submitted by six Member States at the last Intergovernmental Conference with the aim of ensuring the gradual integration of the WEU into the European Union (18),

- having regard to the Treaty on European Union as amended in Amsterdam and the Declaration adopted by the WEU Council on 22 July 1997 and included as Declaration No. 3 in the Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference which concluded with the signing of the Amsterdam Treaty on 2 October 1997,

- having regard to the WEU Council Declaration adopted in Erfurt on 18 November 1997,

- having regard to the decisions of the NATO summits of 3 June1996 in Berlin and 9 July 1997 in Madrid,

- having regard to all relevant documents of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and in particular Decision No 5 concerning guidelines on a politically binding OSCE Document-charter for European Security, as agreed by the OSCE Ministerial Council (19 December 1997 - Copenhagen),

- having regard to Recommendation No 618 of the WEU Assembly on the WEU's role in the organization of European security after the decisions taken by the European Union in Amsterdam and by NATO in Madrid (19),

- having regard to Recommendation No 620 of the WEU Assembly on the WEU after Amsterdam: the European security and defence identity and the application of Article V of the modified Brussels Treaty - reply to the annual report of the Council (20),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0171/98),

A. whereas the Amsterdam Treaty makes a common defence policy a more credible prospect, given that it strengthens the organic bond between the European Union and the WEU created by the Maastricht Treaty and provides for the possible integration of the WEU into the European Union, should the European Council so decide,

B. whereas the gradual establishment of a common defence policy makes sense only if that defence is an adjunct to a common foreign policy of the European Union, a common foreign policy which has yet to be properly implemented,

C. whereas the gradual establishment of a common defence policy should not stand in the way of a common foreign policy which would enable the Union to conduct a more effective policy of global conflict prevention and management,

D. whereas according to the Protocol on Article J.7 in the Amsterdam Treaty the European Union together with the WEU will jointly consider future requirements in strengthening mutual cooperation within one year following the entry into force of that treaty in order to give to the WEU, as an integral part of the development of the European Union, an organizational framework.

E. whereas the new financial perspective must take account of the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty (Article J.18), which stipulate that operating expenditure arising under the second pillar must be met from the Community budget, with the exception of expenditure arising from operations with military implications or operations in the defence sphere,

F. whereas the 50th anniversary of the Brussels Treaty, when any member state wishing to do so may withdraw from the WEU subject to one year's notice, provides an opportunity to consider that organization's future and, thereby, the development of closer relations between the European Union and the WEU with a view to the latter's future integration into the Union and the advisability of amending the Treaty with a view to bringing its requirements into line with the current political and strategic situation and the ability of the WEU to meet those requirements,

G. whereas the WEU, being an integral part of the development of the European Union, should serve as an important element of the European security and defence identity within the Atlantic Alliance,

H. whereas the CFSP is based on different components: traditional diplomatic foreign policy, development aid, trade, peace and conflict resolution, disarmament policy and military defence policy; therefore, noting that a common defence policy is one of the means to help ensure the security of the EU Member States and their citizens and to conduct a more effective foreign policy,

I. whereas all the EU Member States are not yet ready to work towards a common defence policy comprising a mutual assistance clause such as that contained in the WEU and NATO Treaties, and that the European Union, by agreeing to include in the Amsterdam Treaty the Petersberg tasks, in which all Member States are entitled to take part, has created the condition for peace keeping and for intervention in crisis situations,

J. whereas the European Union should therefore establish a European civilian corps to carry out peacekeeping and peacemaking tasks,

K. whereas the revised Article J.7 of the Treaty on European Union and its protocol stipulate that the defence policy of the Union "shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States" and that "the European Union shall draw up, together with the Western European Union, arrangements for enhanced cooperation between them",

L. whereas, if the WEU Treaty is eventually incorporated into the European Union, the security guarantees between the EU countries which are members of the WEU which are enshrined in that Treaty should not be weakened,

M. whereas the European Union in a most important way contributes to security and peaceful developments in Europe as applicant states must take into account that respect for human rights within their borders and the pursuit of harmonious relationships with neighbouring countries are pre-conditions for membership in the European Union,

N. whereas the development of the security and defence policy of the European Union should be based on the principle that the EU must be able, in special circumstances, to act independently in defence of its interests and values, takinginto consideration the conditions and obligations stemming from membership of the North Atlantic Treaty by certain Member States, as laid down in Article J.7(1) of the Amsterdam Treaty,

1. Affirms that the purpose of a common security and defence policy is:

- to safeguard the common values, fundamental interests, independence and integrity of the Union in conformity with the principles of the United Nations Charter;

- to strengthen the security of the Union in all ways;

- to preserve peace and strengthen international security, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter, as well as the principles of the Helsinki Final Act and the objectives of the Paris Charter, including those on external borders;

2. Confirms that crisis prevention is an integral part of the development and setting up of a common security and defence policy;

3. Affirms, furthermore, that the purpose of a common defence policy is to protect the European Union's interests in all areas, including security of essential supplies, when diplomatic instruments are no longer sufficient;

4. Considers, lastly, that under a common defence policy the European Union will be able to contribute to peace and stability in the world, primarily in the areas located on its land and sea borders, under a mandate issued by the UN or the OSCE;

5. Points out that, under the terms of Articles 51 and 52 of the United Nations Charter, an organization such as the European Union has a right of individual and collective self-defence and on that basis is entitled gradually to establish a common defence policy;

6. Confirms that the creation and the safeguarding of peaceful and cooperative relations not only with neighbouring states but also within a global context is also a basis of defence policy;

7. Considers that a clear distinction should be made between security and defence, with the concept of security covering Petersberg operations and the concept of defence including territorial defence and the protection of the vital interests of the Member States; advocates close cooperation within the CJTF (Combined Joint Task Forces) framework based on Atlantic Alliance infrastructures and resources;

8. Confirms that, until the WEU is integrated into the European Union, the territorial integrity of the Member States will continue to be protected under alliances to which some Member States are parties, but points out that the Amsterdam Treaty established the principles of the 'integrity of the Union' and 'mutual political solidarity' and made reference to the 'external borders' of the Union, and that these concepts must be further developed with the deepening of European integration and the enlargement of the European Union, with a view to convergence between the two organizations;

9. Notes that the security of most EU Member States is currently dependent on their membership of NATO; points out, however, that the future enlargement of the European Union to take in Central and Eastern European countries and Cyprus will not necessarily coincide with a corresponding enlargement of NATO, in view of the decisions taken at the Madrid summit, and that, as the European Union grows larger, there could be increasing pressure for it to develop a common defence policy;

10. Confirms that the enlargement of the European Union will also fundamentally contribute to the overall security of our continent and underlines the importance of the Pact for Stability in Europe and the European Conference in that respect;

11. Notes the decisions adopted by the North Atlantic Council in Berlin on 3 June 1996 regarding recognition of the European security and defence identity within the Atlantic Alliance and the agreement reached on the CJTF concept, which will enable the European States to take action under the CFSP or on a bilateral or multilateral basis while being able to make use of Atlantic Alliance infrastructures and resources when the United States do not wish to take part in a given operation;

12. Invites the EU Member States which also belong to NATO to ensure the principles governing the CJTF are clarified, so that practical arrangements to prepare for CJTF actions can be made;

13. Emphasizes the need for the Member States, following consultation with NATO when appropriate, to acquire a larger European capacity in the fields of strategic air mobility, space intelligence and satellite communications for cases in which Europe's vital interests make it necessary to conduct independent operations;

14. Emphasizes the importance of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and its enhanced Partnership for Peace programme, which enable all present and future EU Member States to take part in operations launched by NATO on an equal footing with NATO members, such as in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

15. Considers that cooperation in the field of armaments needs to be strengthened and that the restructuring of Europe's defence-related industries, the establishment of an open internal market in the armaments sector, the production of common military equipment which is as cost-effective as possible and the formulation of a unified policy on arms exports are essential to the establishment of a common defence policy; welcomes the decisions taken in this area by the WEU Council at Erfurt, which prepared the way for the establishment of a European Armaments Agency as provided for in the Maastricht Treaty, and hopes that the existing bodies (WEAO and OCCAR) will ultimately be brought together within such an agency;

16. Notes that the creation of a common defence policy supported by a common armaments policy is not at odds with the objective of global disarmament;

17. Welcomes the progress made by the Fifteen with the drafting of a Code of Conduct on arms exports, particularly as regards the refusal notification procedure and the establishment of joint principles to govern exports, and calls for that agreement to be concluded speedily; draws attention to the fact that this coordination of policies on exports will increase transparency among the Member States as they establish strict joint standards to govern their arms exports and will help to maintain and develop a strong European defence industry by facilitating closer cooperation among the Member State industries;

18. Notes that the forces currently answerable to WEU (FAWEU) constitute the instruments of a common defence policy;

19. Deplores the fact that neither the European Union, pursuant to Article J.4(2) of the Maastricht Treaty, nor the WEU itself reached agreement on intervention by EUROFOR and EUROMARFOR in Albania, but welcomes the fact that the four categories of WEU members were involved in the 'Alba' operation under Italian auspices, thus demonstrating that the Europeans are capable of taking independent limited military actions;

20. Proposes, with the view to the gradual development of a common defence policy for the European Union, a set of practical measures which will, at the appropriate time, facilitate the integration of the WEU into the European Union and enable each State to take part;

21. Urges the Union to implement without equivocation the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty under which the Union shall have political responsibility in terms of its defining guidelines for decisions and action taken under the CFSP, which the WEU shall be specifically instructed to implement at the military level;

22. Calls for the observer States to be able to take part in military operations (including defence operations) other than Petersberg missions, under the same conditions as for those missions;

23. Recommends that closer relations be forged between the European Union and the WEU by means of:

- the exchange of information and documents between the two organizations,

- the establishment of an interparliamentary delegation within the European Parliament responsible for relations with the WEU Assembly, which would:

i) enable the two assemblies to establish ongoing working relations to consider jointly the conditions essential to theimplementation of the common defence policy provided for in Article J.7(1) of the Amsterdam Treaty,

ii) help to improve the flow of information between the two assemblies,

iii) and facilitate the exercise by the two assemblies of the powers of democratic scrutiny conferred upon them by their respective treaties, for as long as the WEU continues to operate as an independent body;

24. Recommends that the 'Security Aspects' Unit of DG1A of the Commission which deals with security and defence matters be greatly strengthened to reflect the increased importance of such matters in the Amsterdam Treaty, and kept under the authority of the Commissioner responsible for the CFSP and calls for the latter and Commission officials to take part, alongside representatives of the Council of the EU and the WEU, in the Policy Planning and Early Warning Unit so that it represents Community added value;

25. Calls for the Policy Planning and Early Warning Unit to draw up a White Paper on defence and EU peacekeeping operations for approval by the European Council;

26. Considers that such a White Paper, which would identify, inter alia, common security interests, would enable the Member States' defence policies to be gradually harmonized, thus facilitating the development of common armaments programmes and thereby strengthening the European Union's internal cohesion and its position on the international scene;

27. Calls for meetings of defence ministers to be held within the Council of the European Union to consider specific matters coming under the second pillar and, where appropriate, the first, such as restructuring of the European armaments industry and the issue of arms exports;

28. Calls, furthermore, for joint meetings of Foreign Affairs Ministers and Defence Ministers to be held within the Council of the European Union at least twice a year and wherever EU action is likely to require the support of armed forces, such as in the case of Petersberg missions, so as to ensure greater consistency between the decisions taken at EU level on the political guidelines for such action and their implementation by the WEU;

29. Proposes that, as part of the work of Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy, regular meetings be organized with the Secretaries-General of NATO and the WEU, together with the WEU Presidency and, as appropriate, the OSCE, with a view to improving the flow of information to Parliament on the activities of the organizations responsible for European security;

30. Recommends, furthermore, that, starting from 1 January 1999, when the presidencies of the European Union and the WEU will be harmonized, the Council Presidency report to plenary on the activities of both the European Union and the WEU, so as to emphasize the convergence between the two organizations;

31. Notes that the establishment of a Policy Planning and Early Warning Unit, in which the WEU will take part, should facilitate full cooperation of the WEU with the EU; urges that the WEU will make all its resources (Planning Cell, Situation Centre and Satellite Centre) available to that unit;

32. Notes that the crises having developed until now in Europe (Bosnia, Albania) have required the intervention of police forces; proposes consequently that the Member States should have suitably qualified personnel in readiness and for rapid deployment; proposes that such operations could be coordinated and organized with the help of the WEU;

33. Proposes furthermore a small police planning unit based on the following principles:

a) given its links with the judicial and police authorities of the Member States, the unit shall be engaged by decision of the European Union;

b) the Union shall, if necessary, instruct the WEU to lay down the operational procedures for its deployment;

c) where necessary, the unit shall be strengthened by additional personnel provided by the Member States;

d) the unit shall maintain ongoing contacts with the police forces (and, where such bodies exist, the gendarmeries) of the Member States, with a view to formulating harmonized engagement procedures; it shall train and supervise local police forces when it is deployed on an operational basis;

34. Affirms that such a common defence policy shall not be directed against anyone in particular and may therefore be used as a cooperation instrument for CFSP purposes;

35. Calls for security matters to be discussed between the European Union and Russia as part of the high-level political dialogue provided for in the partnership and cooperation agreement concluded between the two parties, and recommends that the same approach be adopted vis-à-vis the other CIS States with which the European Union has concluded a partnership and cooperation agreement;

36. Proposes, in this connection, that, where appropriate by giving a mandate to the WEU, the European Union negotiate agreements with interested third countries, with a view to facilitating the implementation of Petersberg missions and, perhaps, even involving them in such missions;

37. Points out that, should there be financial implications for the European Union budget, the Commission must inform the budgetary authority before concluding cooperation agreements;

38. Deplores the fact that the idea of holding a WEU summit at the time of that organization's 50th anniversary did not meet with the approval of WEU members;

39. Takes the view that the WEU should be updated with a view to forging closer institutional links between it and the European Union prior to its possible integration into the Union; considers it essential, therefore, to consider various issues relating to the adjustments which must be made to the WEU Treaty if the above goal is to be met, such as:

- the implications of the WEU Declaration of 22 July 1997 for implementation of the Amsterdam Treaty, the development of the European security and defence identity and the strengthening of the WEU's operational role within the CFSP, without, however, calling into question Article V of the WEU Treaty,

- clarification of the status of associate partners and redefinition of that of associate members, with a view to enlargement of the European Union to take in Central and Eastern European countries and Cyprus,

- the implications of the structural changes which have taken place within the WEU - the military committee and the multinational forces answerable to WEU (FAWEU) - for the WEU Treaty and, where appropriate, for relations with the European Union;

40. Decides lastly, with a view to the gradual establishment of a common defence policy, to change the name of its specialized subcommittee to 'Subcommittee on Security, Defence and Disarmament Policy';

41. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, to the Council, to WEU, NATO and OSCE bodies, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to the parliaments of the Member States, the applicant countries and all other European states.