Read on Twitter
New letter by the 
Ministers of Defence laying out their ambitions for European defence.
If you remember 2016/17, this is (partly) how PESCO, MPCC and the others started (eg https://club.bruxelles2.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/[email protected]).
Much to unpack so brace for thread. 1/x
https://www.defense.gouv.fr/content/download/584981/9955048/Lettre%20des%20ministres%20de%20la%20d%C3%A9fense%20fran%C3%A7aise%2C%20allemande%2C%20espagnole%20et%20italien.pdf
Ministers of Defence laying out their ambitions for European defence. If you remember 2016/17, this is (partly) how PESCO, MPCC and the others started (eg https://club.bruxelles2.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/[email protected]).
Much to unpack so brace for thread. 1/x
https://www.defense.gouv.fr/content/download/584981/9955048/Lettre%20des%20ministres%20de%20la%20d%C3%A9fense%20fran%C3%A7aise%2C%20allemande%2C%20espagnole%20et%20italien.pdf
In a nutshell, what's in it?
1/ Lessons Learned from #COVID19
2/ lays out what remains to be done in EU defence initiatives, ie basically a to-do list
3/ "Today more than ever, we need to allocate the necessary resources to our defence, both at national and EU level" #MFF 2/x
1/ Lessons Learned from #COVID19
2/ lays out what remains to be done in EU defence initiatives, ie basically a to-do list
3/ "Today more than ever, we need to allocate the necessary resources to our defence, both at national and EU level" #MFF 2/x
1) COVID Lessons Learned:
- support EU crisis management with mil means, esp using PESCO
- continue to explore 42.7 TUE and 222 TFUE
- deepen cyber and disinfo resilience + stratcomm.
To note: "the possibility to communicate in a classified environment has to be enhanced" 3/x
- support EU crisis management with mil means, esp using PESCO
- continue to explore 42.7 TUE and 222 TFUE
- deepen cyber and disinfo resilience + stratcomm.
To note: "the possibility to communicate in a classified environment has to be enhanced" 3/x
2) PESCO
- Focus on delivery in phase II (2021-2025) through enhanced selection of new projects and assessement of existing
- Don't forget the 20 binding commitments
- Third States : throwing their weight behind 
Presidency compromise (nothing new but important) 4/x
- Focus on delivery in phase II (2021-2025) through enhanced selection of new projects and assessement of existing
- Don't forget the 20 binding commitments
- Third States :
throwing their weight behind Presidency compromise (nothing new but important) 4/x
3) EDTIB:
- work to reduce dependencies and screen foreign investment
- EDF must have an ambitious budget to play a key role
- EDA to remain a central cooperation plateform
- CARD (ie the capability needs matchmaker) to be taken seriously
5/x
- work to reduce dependencies and screen foreign investment
- EDF must have an ambitious budget to play a key role
- EDA to remain a central cooperation plateform
- CARD (ie the capability needs matchmaker) to be taken seriously
5/x
On this, interesting final statement :
With a view to *our single set of forces*, we need to plan and develop our defence capabilities
strategically (...) meet our ambition for CSDP and
*European* operations.
ie EU-supported capabilities aren't only for EU operations 6/x
With a view to *our single set of forces*, we need to plan and develop our defence capabilities
strategically (...) meet our ambition for CSDP and
*European* operations.
ie EU-supported capabilities aren't only for EU operations 6/x
4) Strategic Compass
- reaffirm its importance
- elements of timeline (threat assessement "to be delivered in the second half of 2020")
- Don't pause the other workstrand and wait until the Compass is finished ("Work on the existing defence initiatives should be continued") 7/x
- reaffirm its importance
- elements of timeline (threat assessement "to be delivered in the second half of 2020")
- Don't pause the other workstrand and wait until the Compass is finished ("Work on the existing defence initiatives should be continued") 7/x
5) operations
- Highlights what is currently needed: robust force generation, C2 structures, European Peace Facility (NB which was absent from the COM budget proposal last week)
- special focus on maritime ops (cf Gulf of Guinea). 8/x
- Highlights what is currently needed: robust force generation, C2 structures, European Peace Facility (NB which was absent from the COM budget proposal last week)
- special focus on maritime ops (cf Gulf of Guinea). 8/x
6) Coherence
This gets in the weeds but interesting : call for a revised Capability Dev Plan (CDP, last one was 2018) to come after the 2022 Progress Catalogue and Strategic Compass, ie further lining up the EU planning tools
9/x
This gets in the weeds but interesting : call for a revised Capability Dev Plan (CDP, last one was 2018) to come after the 2022 Progress Catalogue and Strategic Compass, ie further lining up the EU planning tools
9/x
7) NATO and partners
Pretty explicit:
"NATO remains the cornerstone of collective defence. We therefore continue to be committed to strengthening the European pillar within NATO as well as to exploring ways of reinforcing EU-NATO cooperation" 10/x
Pretty explicit:
"NATO remains the cornerstone of collective defence. We therefore continue to be committed to strengthening the European pillar within NATO as well as to exploring ways of reinforcing EU-NATO cooperation" 10/x
In 2016/17, PESCO4 letters helped kick off the current wave of initiatives. Now, they are taking stock of was/wasn't done, laying the groundwork for the rest & reacting to COVID19.
Unlike 2016/17, there is now greater room for other Member States. How will they respond? [END]
Unlike 2016/17, there is now greater room for other Member States. How will they respond? [END]
