The EU facilitates the involvement of 20 third countries in defense missions

(BRUSSELS2) The EU's chief diplomat, Cathy Ashton, has been authorized to negotiate framework agreements for participation in European Defense operations with twenty new countries. An idea which had been in the air for some time and which was officially approved by the 27 Foreign Ministers yesterday (Monday 26 April).

The advantage of such agreements is undeniable

It greatly facilitates the involvement of third countries in European missions and, above all, speeds them up. Today, the association of a third State implies, on the European side: a mandate from the Council of Ministers to negotiate, the actual negotiation, and a new mandate from the Council to accept the agreement. And, on the third party side, the procedure is sometimes just as complicated, or even more so, with a decision by the government, approval by the parliamentary assemblies, etc.

Once the agreement has been signed, the participation of third parties will be much simpler: the agreement (or request) of the head of mission; a declaration or decision of the third State, applying such or such article of the framework agreement; an agreement of the 27 ambassadors of the COPS and (in point A) of the Council of Ministers (for the establishment of the committee of contributors). In short, a procedure which passes "below the political horizon" and can be dealt with at the level of diplomats and "operational staff".

Negotiation with 20 States

Featured on the play list: Albania, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, China, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Fyrom (Macedonia), India, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Serbia, South Africa, United States. 20 countries with which the EU intends to deepen its relations in terms of defense missions (civilian or military) and which, very often, have already taken part in civilian or military CSDP missions or are still taking part.

The EU has already signed framework agreements with five countries: Canada, Iceland, Norway, Turkey, Ukraine.

NB: we can notice two major presents, symbol of the emergence of new countries on the world security scene and which were, for the moment, discreet in the CSDP - China and India - and one absent from brand: Russia which was, however, involved in Chad. It is true that the negotiation of a participation agreement was then quite complicated.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)