1998 saw the beginning of the common security and defence policy of the European Union or, more specifically, the signing of the appropriate declaration by France and the United Kingdom in St. Malo. Today, the EU common security and defence policy has definitely become a part of the Northern Atlantic security zone.
The Lisbon Treaty came into effect on 1st December 2009 and it changed the common security and defence policy union of Europe into a common security and defence policy.
The Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union is an inseparable part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union. The Common Security and Defence Policy shall ensure the operative capabilities of the union, using both the civil and military assets of the Member States for that purpose. The goal of European Union crisis management is to anticipate conflicts, ensure peace and strengthen international security.
Political and military structures related to the Common Security and Defence Policy
In March 2000, the Political and Security Committee, the Military Committee, the Military Staff and the Politico-Military Working Group of the European Union were established. The function of these military and political structures is the further development of the Common Security and Defence Policy and political controlling and strategic management of the crisis management operations of the European Union.
The Political and Security Committee plays a central role in devising both the Common Security and Defence Policy and the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The Military Committee and the Military Staff are dealing with military aspects of the security and defence politics. Estonia’s representatives are also involved in all of these structures.
Estonia has contributed to the development of the Common Security and Defence Policy since the second half of 2000.
Strategic partnership
A well-established, working partnership between the European Union and NATO is the foundation of European security policy. Therefore, the European Union and NATO fulfil functions, which complement each other.
At the Washington Summit in 1999, NATO expressed its support for the new common foreign and security policy trends, laid down with the Amsterdam Treaty, and confirmed that a stronger Europe will contribute to ensuring the viability of NATO in the 21st century.
In December 2002, the European Union and NATO entered into the “Berlin Plus” agreement, which ensures the European Union’s access to NATO’s military assets, should this be necessary for crisis management purposes.
In May 2003, a capability development work group of the European Union and NATO was established, its purpose being to ensure a more coherent development of military capabilities, based on an approach that will supplement each other.
Development of Europe’s military capabilities
1999 was the year when the first Military Headline Goal 2003 of the European Union was approved at the European Council in Helsinki. For this reason, this year can be considered the beginning of the development of Europe’s military capabilities. The European Union’s goal was to be capable of sending up to 60,000 members of the armed forces to a crisis area within 60 days and to ensure continued operability for at least one year.
Today, the development of military capabilities of the European Union is the European Security Strategy, which highlights the spread of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and international crime, energy security, and climate change as the main threats for Europe. The European Union will focus, above all, on ensuring stability in the adjoining regions and maintaining international security and order in more distant areas to prevent such threats from disturbing European security space. The development of required capabilities and readiness for action and the creation of co-operation capabilities for the different political and military structures is conducted within the Headline Military Goal 2010.
The development of military capabilities is a continuous process: it is important to be ready for tomorrow’s, and not yesterday’s, threats today. The approval of the Capability Development Plan in summer 2008 was an important step in the sphere of the military capability development. This is a document, which lays the foundation for the capability development process of the Common Security and Defence Policy, offers alternatives for co-operation, and assesses the changing of threats over 25-year period.
European Defence Agency
The trans-European capability co-operation is mostly concentrated under the European Defence Agency, which was established in 2004, and which aims at assisting the Member States in the development of their military capabilities, using the know-how and resources of the agency itself, the European defence industry, and the Member States. Aside from immediate development of defence capabilities, the Agency also focuses on increasing the importance of the effectiveness of the European Defence Research and Technology, the promotion and development of the European armaments co-operation, working to strengthen the Defence Technology and Industrial Base, and the creation of an internationally competitive European Defence Equipment Market.
The need to focus on these spheres arises from the high-level political guidelines, adopted at the European Council in Hampton Court in autumn 2005, which commits the European Union Member States to increase the share of common and more elaborate spending. The document, which lays down the long-term vision, also emphasises the urgent need for the consolidation of the European defence industry and the need to enhance its competitiveness. This is one of the most important topics for ensuring the stable and sustainable security space of the European Union.
Estonia has participated in the work of the Agency since its establishment.
The European Union operations
The European Union conducts both civil missions and military operations within the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy. Over the last ten years, the European Union has contributed to 23 missions in three different parts of the world. The missions, organised within the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy, include disarmament operations, humanitarian and rescue operations, military advice and assistance, conflict prevention (anticipation) and peace securing operations, the involvement of armed forces in crisis management – including restoring of peace – and post-conflict stabilisation of situations. The participation of the Member States in the European Union operations is voluntary.
The “Berlin Plus” arrangement was the bases for launching the European Union’s first military operation – CONCORDIA – in Macedonia in March 2003. Some months later, an operation, completely independent of NATO – ARTEMIS – was launched outside Europe – in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Today, the military operations in Macedonia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been both wound up.
In December 2004, the European Union took over NATO’s military operation, SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The operation, bearing a code name ALTHEA, is also conducted within the “Berlin Plus” framework. As of today, the scope of the operation has been reduced considerably, as a consequence of improved security situation. Estonia participated in this operation from December 2005 until June 2007 using a platoon-sized military unit formed of Defence League members. Estonia has also been contributing two to three staff officers to this operation since December 2004.
In summer and autumn 2006, a four-month military operation took place in Congo to ensure security during the election of the President. In March 2008, a military operation was begun in Chad and the Central African Republic; the UN took over the operation once the one-year mandate expired in March 2009. Estonia did not participate in these military operations.
In December 2009, the European Union began its first military naval operation, ATALANTA, to fight ith piracy in Somalia waters. Estonia does not participate in this operation.
Additionally, a number of different civil missions are in process in Africa, West Balkans, the Middle East, Georgia and Afghanistan. Estonia participates in a number of civil missions with its experts and observers.
European Union battle groups
One priority of the European Union Military Headline Goal 2010 is to develop the European Union’s rapid response capability, include the establishment of European Union Battle Groups. The European Union Battle Groups are approximately 1,500 men-strong rapid response units, which must be able to respond in 15 days. The concept of the Battle Groups was approved in summer 2004 and based on the concept that the groups have the readiness for simultaneous participation in two different operations since the beginning of 2007. Most of the Battle Groups are multi-national; apart from the Member States, third countries, like Turkey, Norway, Croatia and Macedonia, participate in the groups.
Estonia participated in the Nordic Battle Group, commanded by Sweden, which was in readiness from 1st January until 30th June 2008. Apart Sweden and Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Ireland also participated in this group. Estonia’s military contribution to this group was 49 defence force members, including one staff defence team, a close protection team, a medical doctor, and staff officers. Also, one civilian officer from the Ministry of Defence participated.
Estonia will also continue its co-operation with the Nordic Battle Group partners during the first part of 2011, which means joining a planned battle group commanded by Sweden. The preparations are already in progress.
Social Media