Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-09-15-Speech-3-214"
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"en.19990915.12.3-214"2
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"Mr President, as the Honourable Member knows, Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union states that “The common foreign and security policy shall include all questions relating to the security of the Union, including the progressive framing of a common defence policy…which might lead to a common defence, should the European Council so decide.” Therefore, a common defence is stated as a future possibility in the Treaty on European Union in compliance with the conditions set forth in the Article. The Article also states that Union policy will not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policies of certain Member States.
The European Council at Cologne discussed Europe’s capacity for attending to the so-called Petersberg Tasks, which are in accordance with Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union, and which are humanitarian and rescue actions, peacekeeping and action by combat forces to restore peace in crisis situations, including when there is a credible military capacity. Heads of State and Government undertook to develop an effective European military capability founded on existing national, as well as bilateral and multilateral capabilities, and to strengthen the European capacity in this connection. The General Affairs Council has been given the task of drafting pre-conditions and measures required to achieve this goal. In this connection, we have to determine detailed provisions for incorporating in the Union such action on the part of the WEU that the EU needs to be able to see to its new responsibilities in respect of the Petersberg Tasks. Thus, the WEU is not integrated into the Union as such. The aim is to take the necessary decisions by the end of the year 2000.
As is pointed out very forcibly in the statement approved at the Cologne Summit, this strengthened capacity for effective crisis management does not change the independent solutions that Member States have regarding defence. The special nature of militarily non-aligned states is preserved. In compliance with the conclusions made at Cologne, the task we have in common is to strengthen the Union’s capacity for effective crisis management, not an arrangement for regional defence. As the European Council at Cologne confirmed, the common foreign and security policy, according to the stipulations of the TEU, includes the issue of crisis management. Under the Treaty, all Member States have the same rights and obligations. Furthermore, the third subparagraph of Article 17 (3) provides for the participation, fully and on an equal footing, of all Member States in planning and decision-taking in the WEU.
The conclusions of the European Council at Cologne stress that the creation of a successful European security and defence policy will require, inter alia
that all Member States of the Union, including non-aligned Members, may participate fully and on an equal footing in EU operations. Let it be said that decisions taken in respect of crisis management action, especially decisions having military and defensive effects, will be taken in compliance with Article 23 of the TEU. Member States will maintain the right, in all circumstances, to decide if and when they will use their national armed forces."@en1
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