Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-06-14-Speech-3-055"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20000614.4.3-055"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:translated text |
"The Portuguese Presidency has therefore prepared a set of political and military concepts and procedures which, following the WEU Council of Ministers meeting in Oporto, will be transferred to the European Union. This constitutes a fundamental part of the
which must be preserved.
During our Presidency of the WEU, preparations for the process of transferring the Institute for Security Studies and the Satellite Centre of the WEU have also been started. This will occur during the next presidency. The WEU has already taken the decision to allow the EU direct access to these structures. Therefore, in accordance with the desire expressed by the Member States, the transfer of the Institute for Security Studies and the Satellite Centre will take place. The transfer of powers from the WEU to the EU does not imply the end of the WEU; at least this is not the current aim of the Member States. The amended Treaty of Brussels will remain in force without any further changes. This is why the collective defence mechanism specified in Article 5 will also remain in operation for the States which have signed this Treaty, as will the Parliamentary Assembly, which will continue to operate fully.
However, the whole organisational structure will be slimmed down. This will then simply provide support to a permanent council which will meet when necessary and to other structures which will continue to operate, in particular the Western Europe Armaments Group. The budget for this organisation will also be substantially reduced.
The Common European Security and Defence Policy requires a close, intense and transparent relationship between the European Union and NATO. The Portuguese Presidency has paid particular attention to developing ways of establishing this relationship, which must be based on cooperation, dialogue and transparency. However, it must not threaten the autonomy of these two organisations.
The report to be presented to the Feira European Council includes a document establishing the principles and terms of this relationship during this interim period. Four ad hoc working groups involving the EU and NATO will be created on the following issues: security, European military capability, development of processes for transferring NATO assets and capabilities to operations led by the European Union and, finally, definition of the permanent terms of the relationship between the European Union and NATO. If necessary, other working groups on specific issues may be created.
In its effort to develop the European military capability, the EU must take into account the need to maintain a relationship of cooperation, dialogue and consultation with European allies who are not members of the European Union and with the applicant countries. It must be stressed that the headline goal defined in Helsinki is open to participation by these countries which may therefore contribute to the European force. According to the document agreed by the European Union which will form an integral part of the Feira European Council report, a single and inclusive structure will be created in which the fifteen Member States of the European Union and the fifteen third countries will participate. This structure will be responsible for dialogue, cooperation and consultation between these countries. In view of the fundamental role of the six European allies who are not members of the European Union and also bearing in mind that NATO may provide assets and capabilities for operations led by the EU, meetings will take place within this single structure between the Fifteen and these six countries to discuss issues involving the development of the European military capability.
In the pre-crisis phase or rather at the start of a crisis, dialogue, cooperation and consultation will clearly be reinforced and, if the EU were to consider using NATO assets and capabilities, particular attention would be given to the dialogue, cooperation and consultation with the six European allies who are not members of the EU. It must be stressed that, under the terms agreed in Helsinki, EU operations will in principle be open to participation by these countries. Russia, Ukraine and other European countries may also participate in operations led by the European Union.
The French Presidency will be responsible for presenting the Nice European Council with proposals on the terms for the consultation and participation of these countries. At the Feira European Council, the European Union will record the interest expressed by Canada in participating in this joint European effort.
Finally, in Helsinki the Portuguese Presidency was given the task of presenting the Feira European Council with an indication of whether or not the Treaty of Amsterdam needs to be revised. From the debate conducted and the opinions expressed, it has been possible to conclude that the implementation of the EU decisions on the Common European Security and Defence Policy does not require the Treaty to be revised as this policy falls legally within the provisions currently in force. However, as this is a process that is open to developments, the Member States have agreed on the need to keep an eye on this issue."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples