TheCommon Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) was introduced as apillar of the EU by theTreaty of Maastricht in 1993, based on the earlier 1970European Political Cooperation (EPC). The CFSP was to include ‘all questions related to the security of the Union, including the eventual framing of a common defence policy, which might in time lead to a common defence’.
In December 1998 the Franco-BritishSaint-Malo declaration stated that the EU ‘must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed up by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and a readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises’. This marked a British change of course, as it previously had blocked any development of EU autonomous military capabilities.
At the European Council in Cologne in June 1999 the European Security and Defence Identity (ESDI) - formed in 1996 as a project betweenWestern European Union's (WEU) and theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - was transferred to the EU and renamed the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). The main goal of this newly established CSDP was to deal with crisis management outside EU territory.
In 2000 and 2001 a number ofCouncil bodies were established as part of the ESDP:
Political and Security Committee (PSC), a preparatory body ofambassadorial level representatives thar observes the international situation, helps to define CFSP and ESDP policies and prepares a coherent EU response to a crisis
EU Military Committee (EUMC), the Council's highest military body, composed ofmember states'Chiefs of Defence, who are regularly represented by their permanent military representatives. The EUMC provides the PSC with advice and recommendations on all military matters within the EU.
European Union Military Staff (EUMS), a part of theGeneral Secretariat whose primary task was to by EUMC's working and advisory body
In 2003 theTreaty of Nice provided the ESDP's legal foundation, in terms of competences, organisation, structures and assets.
Upon the entry into force of theTreaty of Lisbon in 2009 the EUMS was transferred from the Council's General Secretariat to become a Directorate-General (DG) of the newly establishedEuropean External Action Service (EEAS) - the EU's diplomatic service, a hybrid Council-Commission body resulting from a merger of the external relations departments of the Council and relevant international relations departments of theEuropean Commission.
performing "early warning, situation assessment and strategic planning forPetersberg tasks" and to implement CSDP missions (2001/80/CFSP, annex article 2) such asEUFOR Althea and the otherEuropean Union Force missions in Chad/CAR and the DR Congo.
The EUMS is a Directorate-General of theExternal Action Service (EADS) that is located in theKortenberg building in Brussels and currently consists of 200+ military and civilian personnel.
The EUMS is led by the Director General (DGEUMS, athree-star general).[3]
Since 2017 DGEUMS has also served as Director of theMilitary Planning and Conduct Capability, and as such assumes the function of the single commander for all non-executive military missions, exercising command and control over the current three training Missions and other possible future non-executive military Missions.
DGEUMS is assisted by the Deputy Director General and the Chef of Staff (DDG/COS, atwo-star general).[3]
The Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) is an EUMS facility that provides a permanent operational headquarters at the military strategic level for military operations. The MPCC reports to thePolitical and Security Committee (PSC) and informing theEuropean Union Military Committee (EUMC).[4]
Presently the MPCC may only run non-executive operations. By the end of 2020 the MPCC will also be capable of running executive operations of up to 2500 troops, i.e. the size of onebattle group.[5]
The Concepts and Capabilities Directorate (CON/CAP) is responsible for EUMS concepts, doctrine and the planning and development of capabilities including crisis management exercises, training, analysis and lessons learned, and for cooperation with theEuropean Defence Agency (EDA), ensuring coherency between the EU military concepts and the crisis management procedures.[6]
The Logistics Directorate (LOG) provides administrative support, logistic planning expertise, logistic concepts, doctrine related to crisis response planning. LOG also assesses operations and exercises.[6]
The Communication and Information Systems Directorate (CIS) has the following tasks:[6]
To develop the EUMS' policies and guidance for implementation, operation and maintenance of communication and information systems, in support of CSDP activities.
To contribute to EUMS planning through the provision of CIS planning expertise at the strategic and operational level
To provide the CIS element of crisis response planning and assessment for operations and exercises.
ACOS Synchronisation unit, which assists the Chief of Staff in the coordination and synchronization of the EUMS internal processes and information flows, to facilitate and canalise the support the EUMS provides to the Chairman of the EUMC, and to support him in the preparation and management of meetings.
ACOS external relations unit, which develops policy for, and maintain the military dimension of, all EUMS' external relations in close cooperation with EEAS Management Directorates and the CMPD. This involves coordinating military-to-military cooperation with International Organisations, Strategic Partners; and Third States. The office is also responsible for all Public Information/Press Relations issues in close collaboration with the EEAS Strategic Communications Division.
EU cell at SHAPE (EUCS), a unit that prepares for EU operations having recourse to NATO common assets and capabilities under Berlin plus arrangements and to support DSACEUR in his role as a potential operational commander for an EU-led operation. It contributes to full transparency between NATO and the EU embodying their strategic partnership in crisis management.
1 In the event of a CSDP Civilian Mission also being in the field, the relations with theCivilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) and its Civilian Operation Commander (Civ OpCdr), as well as the subordinate Head of Mission (HoM), are coordinated as shown.
2 Other Component Commanders (CCs) andservice branches which may be established.
3 The MPCC is part of the EUMS and Dir MPCC is double-hatted as DGEUMS. Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), either a national OHQ offered by member states or theNATO Command Structure (NCS) would serve this purpose. In the latter instance,Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), rather than Dir MPCC, would serve as Operation Commander (OpCdr).
4 Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), the MFCdr would be known as a Force Commander (FCdr), and direct a Force Headquarters (FHQ) rather than a MFHQ. Whereas the MFHQ would act both on the operational and tactical level, the FHQ would act purely on the operational level.
European Union
Military Committee (EUMC; aCouncil body)
