Declarations relating to the CFSP and WEU annexed to the Treaty of Maastricht (1993)

November 30, 201022th June 2023 Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Declaration on voting in the area of the common foreign and security policy

The Conference agrees that, for decisions which require unanimity, Member States will avoid, as far as possible, preventing unanimity when a qualified majority is in favor of the decision.

Declaration on practical arrangements in the area of the common foreign and security policy

The Conference agrees that the coordination of work between the Political Committee and the Permanent Representatives Committee will be examined later, as will the practical arrangements for the merger of the Political Cooperation Secretariat with the General Secretariat of the Council and the collaboration between this last and the Commission.

Declaration on the language regime in the field of the common foreign and security policy

The Conference agrees that the applicable language regime is that of the European Communities.

For COREU communications, the current practice of European political cooperation will serve as a model for the time being.
All texts relating to the common foreign and security policy which are presented or adopted at meetings of the European Council or of the Council, as well as all texts to be published, shall be translated immediately and simultaneously into all the official languages of the Community.

Declaration on Western European Union

The Conference takes note of the following statements:

I. Declaration by Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom, which are members of the Union of Western Europe as well as members of the European Union, on the role of Western European Union and on its relations with the European Union and with the Atlantic Alliance

Introduction

1. The Member States of Western European Union (WEU) agree on the need to form a genuine European security and defense identity and to assume increased European responsibilities in the field of defence. This identity will be developed gradually according to a process comprising successive stages. WEU will be an integral part of the development of the European Union and will strengthen its contribution to solidarity within the Atlantic Alliance. WEU Member States agree to strengthen the role of WEU in the eventual prospect of a common defense policy within the European Union, which could ultimately lead to a common defense compatible with that of the European Union. Atlantic Alliance.

2. WEU will be developed as a defense component of the European Union and as a means of strengthening the European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance. To this end, it will formulate a common European defense policy and ensure its concrete implementation by further developing its own operational role.

WEU Member States take note of Article J.4 on the common foreign and security policy of the Treaty on European Union, which reads as follows:

“1. The common foreign and security policy includes all questions relating to the security of the European Union, including the eventual definition of a common defense policy, which could lead, when the time comes, to a common defence.

2. The Union calls on Western European Union (WEU), which is an integral part of the development of the European Union, to elaborate and implement the decisions and actions of the Union which have defense implications. The Council, in agreement with the WEU institutions, adopts the necessary practical arrangements.

3. Matters which have defense implications and which are governed by this Article shall not be subject to the procedures set out in Article J.3.

4. Union policy within the meaning of this Article shall not affect the specific character of the security and defense policy of certain Member States, it shall respect the obligations arising for certain Member States from the North Atlantic Treaty and it is compatible with the common security and defense policy adopted within this framework.

5. The provisions of this Article shall not prevent the development of closer cooperation between two or more Member States at bilateral level, within the framework of WEU and the Atlantic Alliance, insofar as such cooperation does not does not contravene that which is provided for in this title or hinder it.

6. In order to promote the objective of this Treaty and taking into account the 1998 deadline in the context of Article XII of the modified Brussels Treaty, the provisions of this Article may be revised, as provided for in Article N paragraph 2, on the basis of a report which the Council will submit in 1996 to the European Council, which includes an assessment of the progress made and the experience gained so far.'

A. WEU's relations with the European Union

3. The objective is to build WEU in stages as the defense component of the European Union. To this end, WEU stands ready to elaborate and implement, at the request of the European Union, decisions and actions of the Union which have defense implications.

To this end, WEU will establish close working relations with the European Union by taking the following measures:

- in an appropriate manner, synchronization of meeting dates and places as well as harmonization of working methods;

- establishment of close cooperation between the Council and the General Secretariat of WEU, on the one hand, and the Council of the Union and the General Secretariat of the Council, on the other;

- examination of the harmonization of the succession and the duration of the respective presidencies;

- development of appropriate arrangements to ensure that the Commission of the European Communities is regularly informed and, where appropriate, consulted on the activities of WEU, in accordance with the Commission's role in the common foreign and security policy, as as defined in the Treaty on European Union;

- encouraging closer cooperation between the WEU Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament.

The WEU Council will make the necessary practical arrangements in agreement with the competent institutions of the European Union.

B. WEU's relations with the Atlantic Alliance

4. The objective is to develop WEU as a means of strengthening the European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance. To this end, WEU stands ready to develop the close working relationship between WEU and the Alliance and to strengthen the role, responsibilities and contributions of WEU Member States within the Alliance. This will be done on the basis of the necessary transparency and complementarity between the European security and defense identity, as it emerges, and the Alliance. WEU will act in accordance with the positions adopted in the Atlantic Alliance.

- WEU Member States will intensify their coordination on matters within the Alliance which represent an important common interest, in order to introduce concerted joint positions within WEU into the Alliance consultation process , which will remain the essential forum for consultation between the allies and the forum where they agree on policies affecting their security and defense commitments under the North Atlantic Treaty.

- Where appropriate, meeting dates and locations will be synchronized and working methods will be harmonised.

- Close cooperation will be established between the WEU and NATO General Secretariats.

C. WEU's operational role

5. The operational role of WEU will be strengthened by examining and determining the appropriate missions, structures and means, covering in particular:

- a WEU planning cell;

- closer military cooperation in addition to the Alliance, particularly in the field of logistics, transport, training and strategic surveillance;

- meetings of the WEU Chiefs of Staff;

- military units coming under WEU.

Other proposals will be considered further, including:

- enhanced cooperation in the field of armaments, with a view to creating a European armaments agency;

- the transformation of the WEU Institute into a European Security and Defense Academy.

Measures to strengthen the operational role of WEU will be fully compatible with the military arrangements necessary to ensure the collective defense of all Allies.

D. Miscellaneous measures

6. As a consequence of the above measures and in order to facilitate the strengthening of the role of WEU, the seat of the Council and of the Secretariat General of WEU will be transferred to Brussels.

7. Representation in the WEU Council must be such that it can exercise its functions permanently, in accordance with Article VIII of the modified Brussels Treaty. Member States will be able to use a so-called “double hat” formula, to be developed, made up of their representatives to the Alliance and to the European Union.

8. WEU notes that, in accordance with the provisions of Article J.4(6) on the common foreign and security policy of the Treaty on European Union, the Union will decide to review the provisions of this article in order to promote the objective it sets according to the defined procedure. In 1996 WEU will carry out a review of these provisions. This review will take account of progress and experience acquired, and will extend to relations between WEU and the Atlantic Alliance.

II. DECLARATION

Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom, which are members of the European Union western

“WEU Member States welcome the development of a European security and defense identity. They are determined, in view of WEU's role as an element of defense of the European Union and as a means of strengthening the European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance, to place relations between WEU and the other European countries on new foundations for stability and security in Europe. With this in mind, they offer the following:

States which are members of the European Union are invited to join WEU under conditions to be agreed in accordance with Article XI of the modified Brussels Treaty, or to become observers if they so wish. At the same time, the other European member states of NATO are invited to become associate members of WEU in a way which gives them the opportunity to participate fully in the activities of WEU.

The Member States of WEU assume that the treaties and agreements corresponding to the above proposals will be concluded before 31 December 1992."