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Blog AnalysisEU Defense (Doctrine)

PESCO… and so what? Like a bitter taste of a failed start

(B2) Seeing the birth of Permanent Structured Cooperation, the hard core of European defence, more than ten years after its establishment, should normally have been a moment charged with emotion. A "very political" moment. It has not happened !

A historic day without salt

The day touted as "historic" was rather saltless and tasteless. If we had approved the fiftieth modification of the directive on air quality or changed the carpet on the 12th floor of the Commission, the atmosphere would not have been less festive. Some applause to celebrate the event, a press conference of infinite length, with a series of pre-chewed slogans, delivered without conviction, without anyone understanding where the emotion or the stakes of the event lay.

Every man for himself to promote cooperation

Everyone praised the importance for the citizens or/and the revival of the European Union. But nothing has come to support this point either in the official declarations of European officials or in the "background" documents distributed (1). Once the meeting was over, each of the ministers hastened to make a press briefing in front of their journalists, to comment on their national position. No conference or joint announcement, which would have made it possible to begin to perceive what this “important” project for defense could be. As usual... (2).

The forgotten Franco-German engine of PESCO

Everyone also hastened to pull the cover to themselves. Even the High Representative of the Union, Federica Mogherini, who we usually know more fair play, got caught up in this game. The whole event had moreover been designed to highlight Federica Mogherini whose imperial destiny we know as a good connoisseur of the file quips in the corridors. Thus the new dynamic of the Franco-German couple, to whom the establishment of this permanent structured cooperation owes a lot (in particular the team of Jean-Yves Le Drian and that of Ursula von der Leyen), just like the will determined by the President of the European Commission, J.-C. Juncker, have been largely minimized. We can like, or not like, these three characters. That's not the point. We must render to Caesar what is Caesar's. Without them, PESCO would never have seen the light of day...

Stronger cooperation with everyone

Basically, no one could also explain how a structured cooperation with almost all the member states (except Malta!) could generate better results than today. How could we circumvent unanimity tomorrow, which is always mandatory, to determine the major orientations or new projects of PESCO? Knowing that some countries (Poland in particular) come determined to do everything... to do nothing! (3)

A little memory wouldn't have hurt

We can add to this no reminder of the event which traumatized France two years ago and which had triggered the mutual assistance clause of article 42.7, which was all the same the first time that the European Union organized this solidarity. Which is incongruous to say the least. All of this leaves you, at the end of the day, with a taste of bitterness in your mouth, of a failed event...

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(1) Documents written in English only. For asking the reason, I drew a comment, loaded with contempt, from a press officer of the European Diplomatic Service "But everyone speaks English here"... The High Representative of the EU, Federica Mogherini, who was known to be more skilful, even found a way to boast during the conference that he could only answer in English.

(2) At NATO meetings, on the contrary, it is common for several ministers to choose the place to announce their joint collaboration on one or other of the projects.

(3) The Polish government succeeded onlyin extremis to agree to sign the notification. The Minister of Defense was against, the Minister of Foreign Affairs rather for, the President tried to compromise. Result, Warsaw signed but by putting a statement in support to indicate all its reservations (Read in particular: PESCO: Poland is dragging its feet). Inside the PESCO, however, it will be the Ministry of Defense that will sit... You don't need to be a great political expert to become what European enthusiasm will inhabit it 😉

updated 14.11 with clarifications (notably footnotes)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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