13 November 2017

23 EU member states sign a joint notification towards the implementation of a Permanent Structured Cooperation in Defence

23 EU member states (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden) signed a joint notification and handed it over to HR/VP Federica Mogherini and the Council of the EU on moving forward to the creation of a Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) in the fields of defence policy and defence security. The signing of a joint notification was a first obliged step in order to set a list of commitments and principles towards the actual implementation of the PESCO, including regularly increasing the budget allowed to defence. This first step was welcomed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who stated that [he] believe[s] that we need to take more seriously the provisions of the existing Treaty that allow those European countries who want to do this to progressively build up a common European defence.” The PESCO was introduced by the 2007 Lisbon Treaty and its implementation would allow member states to cooperate in the framework of a permanent structure on security and defence-related issues. Next step will be the adoption by the Council of the EU of a decision by reinforced qualified majority. The voting would take place on 11 December.

circle graphic