Observatory on European defence, June 2001

12 June 2001
First meeting EU – NATO Military Committees
The first formal meeting between the Military Committees of the two Organisations took place at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
The discussion was aimed at deepening institutional relations, improving reciprocal autonomy in decision making, providing future consultation and analysing the development of the NATO DCI and ESDP Rapid Reaction Force.
The next meeting will be held in autumn.

15-16 June 2001
European Council in Goteborg
The usual European Council was held at the end of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union. The European Security and Defence Policy was one of the topics of discussion; the Council approved the document presented by the Presidency, focused mainly on civilian crisis management and further relations with the United Nations.

Summing up, the Swedish Presidency of the EU has not taken ESDP any further forward. On the contrary, it affirmed a crisis management approach that aims at low intensity operations and underlines non-military aspects. These developments, aimed at improving the role of the United Nations, may have also resulted from the difficulties in defining operational cooperation with NATO.
In the long run, such an approach, could limit the integration process, decreasing the prospects of a common European defence policy.
The Belgian Presidency will have to address these matters, in view of the second capability conference, to be held in November.