Foreign Affairs Council (Defence), 06/03/2018, 6 March 2018

Main results

Permanent structured cooperation (PESCO)

Today, with the defence ministers, we had a historic first meeting of the Council in the framework of the permanent structured cooperation. We have a collective responsibility to implement the decisions taken and deliver on the commitments taken by the member states participating in PESCO. Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Defence ministers met in "PESCO format" for the first time. This means that, although ministers from all member states were present, only those representing member states participating in PESCO were involved in adopting legal acts. Today they adopted a decision formally establishing the list of projects to be developed under PESCO and a recommendation on an implementation roadmap.

In their discussion, defence ministers underlined the importance of implementing PESCO projects and pursuing work to define processes and governance in the months to come.

• Council adopts an implementation roadmap for the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO)

EU-NATO cooperation

Cooperation between NATO and the European Union has never been as good as it is today. There is full complementarity and coherence between the work we do to strengthen European Union security and defence and cooperation between the European Union and NATO. Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Defence ministers discussed EU-NATO cooperation with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Rose Gottemoeller. Ministers underlined the importance of the ongoing work on 74 proposals in 7 different areas — work that the EU is conducting with NATO and that has brought the two organisations closer together than ever. Ministers emphasised the need to work on implementation to deliver further concrete results. They highlighted cooperation in areas such as resilience, cyber security and countering hybrid threats, and highlighted military mobility in particular. 

Ministers also pointed out that stronger European cooperation on defence makes for a more robust European pillar within NATO, and that this work is conducted in full complementarity with NATO. Noting that it will give new political impetus to cooperation between the two organisations, they welcomed the agreement of the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the Secretary General of NATO to start working towards a new declaration which could be signed in the margins of the forthcoming NATO Summit in July.

• Factsheet on EU-NATO cooperation (EEAS)

Security and defence

EU defence ministers exchanged views on the broader aspects of security and defence cooperation, including consistency across ongoing EU defence initiatives. The debate covered matters such as the European Defence Fund and ongoing work to adopt the regulation on the European Defence Industrial Development Programme.

Ministers also underlined the importance of military mobility as an important priority for greater cooperation between EU member states and also between the EU and NATO. The need for adequate resources and financial instruments to achieve the new level ambition of the EU in the field of security and defence was also mentioned. In this context, the High Representative presented to the ministers her initiative on a proposal for an off-EU budget European peace facility, on which preparatory work will continue in the coming months.

• EU cooperation on security and defence (background information)

Training missions

Over lunch, defence ministers reviewed EU CSDP missions and operations. They focused on the three non-executive military training missions in the Central African Republic, Mali and Somalia.

Defence ministers welcomed the added value brought by the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), which has had responsibility for the operational planning and conduct of the three missions since its creation one year ago. Ministers underlined their commitment to continue supporting both the MPCC and the training teams on the ground with adequate staffing.