The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) Decision-Making and Planning for ESDP Missions The Pillars of the European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) Start of the Mission Planning Process… Mr. Javier Solana Madariaga, since 18. October 1999 Key Facts: • Appointed by the Cologne European Council, June 1999 • June 2004: Appointed for a second 5-year-term by the European Council • Mr. Solana is intended to become the first EU Foreign Minister when/if the Constitutional Treaty for Europe enters into force Main Tasks and capabilities: • Highest official and representative of the European Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) • Announces EU Special Representatives, heads EU‘s diplomatic delegations, influences policy development The post of High Representative for CFSP was added to that of Secretary-General of the Council in the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997. Until then the Secretary General had been a senior official of the EU, whose task was to prepare the meetings of the European Council and to assist the Presidency (Treaty on European Union, Article 18.3). The importance of the SG/HR massively increased once former NATO-SG Javier Solana was appointed on 18 October 1999. The functions and tasks of the SG/HR were not precisely regulated in the revised EU-Treaty, so it was up to the first officeholder to define his role. Delegating the preparatory assignments of his post mostly to the deputy SG, Solana could focus completely on CFSP and became the most important politician within EU to deal with foreign affairs. The initiation and establishment of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) – amongst others by integrating structures and resources of the Western European Union (WEU) – was crucially promoted by Solana, additionally taking the office of Secretary-General of the WEU in November 1999. The CFSP is the intergovernmental “Second Pillar“ of the European Union and the SG/HR is completely dependent on the consensus of the member states. Whenever the EU-members were able to agree on a common position in foreign policy – e.g. in terms of the Balkans or the Middle East –Solana could act as a powerful negotiator and could thereby boost the importance of his post. In June 2003 the European Council of Thessaloniki asked the SG/HR to develop a European Security Strategy (ESS) , which was presented to and adopted by the Brussels European Council in December 2003. The ESS forms a comprehensive strategic framework for CFSP. Policy Planning and Early Warning Unit (Policy Unit) Key Facts: • “Solana´s eyes and ears“ • Set up on account of declaration No. 6 annexed to the 1997 Amsterdam Treaty, naming the following tasks: – “Monitoring and analysing developments in areas relevant to the CFSP” – “Providing assessments of the Union's foreign and security policy interests and identifying areas where the CFSP could focus in future” – “Providing timely assessments and early warning of events or situations which may have significant repercussions for the Union's foreign and security policy, including potential political crises” – “Producing, at the request of either the Council or the Presidency or on its own initiative, argued policy options papers to be presented under the responsibility of the Presidency as a contribution to policy formulation in the Council, and which may contain analyses, recommendations and strategies for the CFSP” • Divided into eight task forces: - European Security and Defence Policy, Western Balkans/Central Europe; - Early Warning/Conflict Prevention/Terrorism; - Horizontal Questions; - Latin America; - Russia/Ukraine/Transatlantic/Baltic States; - Asia; - Mediterranean/Middle East/Africa; - Administration/Security and Situation Centre/Crisis Cell • Officially located at the Council General Secretariat (DG-E), with staff drawn from the member states, the Secretariat and the Commission, but reports directly to the Secretary-General/High Representative • Access to the political reporting from Commission delegations and information provided by ECHO (Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission) Joint Situation Centre (SITCEN) Key Facts: • Set up on 1 January 2003 by the Policy Unit to coincide with the start of the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in Bosnia • Located in the Council General Secretariat • SITCEN was established to bring together the expertise of civilian and military staff from the Policy Unit and the military Situation Centre • Its main task is to monitor developments in crisis regions and to provide risk assessments for the Secretary-General/High Representative, the PSC and the EUMC. The External Relations (RELEX) Commissioner receives some information as well. • SITCEN is also intended to improve the cooperation on the field of intelligence cooperation between member states. For that purpose and for setting up a secure communications network, SITCEN also includes intelligence officers. Council General Secretariat Key Facts: • With the launch of ESDP, the CFSP-unit inside Council General Secretariat was enlarged to Directorate-General E (DG E), dealing with External Relations (one of nine DG´s altogether) • It is further divided into nine Directorates: – I Enlargement – II Development – III Multilateral Economic Affairs – IV Transatlantic Relations, UN and Human Rights – V Mediterranean Basin, Middle East, Africa, Asia – VI Western Balkans Region, Eastern Europe and Central Asia – VII European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) – VIII Defence Aspects – IX Civilian Crisis Management • DG E deals with planning and concrete execution of CFSP/ESDP-missions • Certain shortfalls in the civilian crisis management capacity were identified when conducting the first civilian mission, EUPM. Thus the Council decided to build up a “Planning and Mission Support Capability“ in November 2003 , in order to improve the recruitment of mission staff, planning and provide support to ongoing missions. • Furthermore a Civilian and Military Planning Cell was created within the Council Secretariat to enhance coherence of civilian and military instruments and conduct strategic planning. The CivMilCell is operational since summer 2005. Political and Security Committee (PSC) The central policy-making body of the CFSP/ESDP Key Facts: • Set up as a permanent board of high officials/ambassadors by the Helsinki European Council in December 1999 and approved by the Nice European Council a year later • Legal basis: Articel 25, Consolidated Treaty on European Union, defining the following tasks: – “monitor the international situation in the areas covered by the CFSP and contribute to the definition of policies by delivering opinions to the Council“ – “exercise, under the responsibility of the Council, political control and strategic direction of crisis management operations.“ – “for the duration of a crisis management operation, as determined by the Council, to take the relevant decisions concerning the political control and strategic direction of the operation“ • PSC meets at least twice weekly in ambassadorial formation in Brussels and less frequently as a board of the political directors • Supplemented by one delegate of the Commission • The PSC develops resolutions regarding the CFSP/ESDP, but does not finally decide • PSC-members are in close contact with their foreign ministries and represent their governments’ position in the PSC • In case of a crisis the Secretary-General/High Representative can take the chair in the PSC see Council decisions to establish PSC, EUMC and EUMS Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM) Key Facts: • CIVCOM was set up as a standing advisory body by Council decision of 22 May 2000 and convened for the first time on 16 June 2000 • CIVCOM formally reports to COREPER, but provides advice and expertise on civilian crisis management mainly to the PSC • Its staff consists of one representative of each member-state plus one delegate of the Commission • As codified in the guidelines for the work of CIVCOM (annex of the document of adoption), its tasks are – to assist the PSC and other council bodies by “acquiring a comprehensive view of the means available to the EU and to Member States to respond to a crisis“ – to improve EU´s crisis management capability, e.g. by developing and implementing lessons learned/ common standards and best-practice, helping to ensure a higher degree of coherence in EU-strategies, helping to improve co-ordination of resources and exchange of information in the EU etc. • Furthermore, CIVCOM helps to achieve the civilian headline goals (CHG 2008/CHG 2010), decided in the Council • CIVCOM closely co-operates with DG E of the Council General Secretariat, especially Directorate IX European Union Military Committee (EUMC) Key Facts EUMC: • EUMC is the central military forum within the EU • Set up 2001 by Council decision • Consists of permanent military representatives from the member states, who meet at least weekly • Meetings of the member states‘ defence chiefs at least twice a year • EUMC‘s main task is to advise the PSC on military crisis management and to exercise military direction of all military activities within the EU framework • The EUMC-chairman participates in meetings of the Council, when defence matters are discussed European Union Military Staff (EUMS) Key Facts EUMS: • EUMS is the planning and supporting body for the EUMC and has over 130 military personnel • Assigned to conduct early warning, assessment of a crisis and certain response capabilities and to develop Military Strategic Options • Although EUMS assists the EUMC, it is a department of the Council General Secretariat and is directly attached to the High Representative. Its staff participates in the Joint Situation Centre (SITCEN) • EUMS has five divisions: – Policy and Plans – Intelligence – Operations and Exercises – Logistics and Resources – Communications and Information Systems Committee of the Permanent Representatives (COREPER) Comité des Représentants Permanents Key Facts: • COREPER is the preparatory body for the ministerial Council meetings and consists of the member states‘ highest ranked ambassadors (heads of mission). COREPER covers the full scope of EU business. • COREPER was set up in 1958, its obligations are described in the Council´s rules of procedure. Its current legal basis is Article 207 of the EC Treaty. • As codified in Article 207 of the EC Treaty, COREPER‘s main task is to “…be responsible for preparing the work of the Council and for carrying out the tasks assigned to it by the Council“. • COREPER meets in two formations: – COREPER I: Deputy Permanent Representatives, e.g. dealing with economic, social, health or agricultural issues, mostly meeting twice a week (on Wednesday, additionally on Friday) – COREPER II: Permanent Representatives, largely dealing with CFSP and ESDP as well as financial and judicial issues, meeting at least once a week (on Thursday) • COREPER coordinates and oversees the work of some 250 committees and working groups which prepare the political issues of the Council’s agenda • Less important topics are mostly decided on by COREPER without being issued again in the Council. Due to the fact that members of COREPER are in constant and close contact with their home governments, COREPER‘s decisions in terms of CFSP and ESDP are usually simply confirmed by the General Affairs and External Relations Council. Council of the European Union – General Affairs and External Relations Council Final decision-making body for CFSP/ESDP Key Facts: • The Council of the European Union (‘Council of Ministers’) is the leading legislative and decision-making body within the EU • The GAERC is the foreign ministers‘ formation of the Council • Legal basis: Title V Treaty on European Union, Article 7 ff. EC Treaty • GAERC is chaired by the Presidency’s foreign minister and meets on a monthly basis • Since 2002 the GAERC has convened in separate sessions for general affairs and external relations. In the latter case the Secretary-General/High Representative for CFSP also takes part at Council meetings. On certain occasions member states‘ defence ministers also attend, as well as Commission delegates. • Regarding the Common Foreign Security Policy, GAERC’s main tasks are to – define and to implement the CFSP, based on guidelines set by the Heads of State and Government at the EU Summits – agree on joint actions, regulations, directives, decisions, common positions, recommendations or opinions • The Council’s agenda is prepared by COREPER. Issues that COREPER has already agreed on are usually formally approved by the GAERC, which only dwells on select topics at the highest intergovernmental level. • Unanimity: Decisions in the field of CFSP and ESDP have to be taken by consensus (as codified in Article 23 TEU). Member states have the option of a constructive abstention, obligating them to give a formal explanation on their reasons. A decision is blocked, if more than one third of the member states abstains from voting or any state vetoes the decision.