The Council of Defense Ministers leaves adolescence
(B2, LUXEMBOURG) It's a small step. But a step all the same towards the empowerment of EU defense ministers. After the meeting in Palma in February where the principle had been discussed (1), the meeting of Defense Ministers on Monday in Luxembourg was marked by several signs showing the ministers' desire to deal, independently, with the subjects defense.
Small steps towards independent age
First, the defense ministers first met around the EU's chief representative for foreign affairs, Cathy Ashton, for dinner the night before. A convivial dinner, of "reconciliation" one could say since its main objective was to "pick up" the pieces between the High Representative and "her troops", after the damage of her absence from the informal of Palma de Mallorca .
Then, the 27 met again, in the morning, and adopted - this is a first - certain "Defence" documents of the Council. Namely the conclusions on the maritime security strategy - according to the French Minister of Defense Hervé Morin - as well as the conclusions on the ESDP - according to his Spanish counterpart, Carme Chacon (2). Usually, these documents were eventually re-discussed and adopted during the joint session with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs. " We discussed the maritime security document. And Catherine Ashton said: it's adopted “Explained to the press Hervé Morin. " For me, this is a significant and necessary development. (...) Imagine, today we had 45 minutes on Afghanistan on our agenda. With 54 ministers around the table and the Secretary General of NATO, FA Rasmussen, as a guest, this does not really allow... to go deeper! "" A new format is therefore needed for the meetings of Defense Ministers explains Hervé Morin. Comment approved by several ministers around the table (Spanish and German in particular).
Two future developments under the Belgian Presidency
On the side of the High Representative, we are not as enthusiastic as the French and Spaniards, we remain more cautious. " This still poses some problems for some States ”explains a close friend of Cathy Ashton, in particular the countries where there is a coalition and where the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs are of different political color (Czech Republic or Netherlands for example). Difficulty recognized by Hervé Morin. Corn " however, there are solutions to prevent ministers from the same country from expressing different views depending on the meeting they are in ».
The 27 could thus agree on a more precise agenda under the Belgian presidency. And the experiments continue and anchor themselves in reality.
This development could occur in two directions according to a European diplomat. On the one hand, "autonomous" meetings of defense ministers could be held outside the meetings of foreign ministers and, therefore, without their presence. This would both facilitate the agenda of the meetings and allow the High Representative. On the other hand, meetings of Defense Ministers could be decision-making; the Ministers of Defense deciding on the subjects of their own competence - in particular in terms of capabilities.
NB: Note that this is not a new formation of the Council. Formally, the formation remains the Foreign Affairs Council (formation recorded in the Treaty). But this one will meet in “Ministers of Defense” format. There are already different meetings of Ministers of Development or Trade, in this framework.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
(1) Read: EU Defense Ministers will have their "decision-making" Council. Soon ?
(2) Download EU ministers' conclusions on maritime safety.
