On November 12, 2019, the Council of EU Defense Ministers decided on a third tranche of 13 projects within the framework of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), bringing the total number of PESCO projects to 47.
The new projects aim to improve the Community's capabilities at sea, in the air and in space. Five deal with education or training in the areas of cyber (establishment of an EU Cyber Academia and Innovation Hub (EU CAIH), Portugal taking the lead), medical services, special forces, diving, NBC defense, and tactical training (Integrated European Joint Training and Simulation Center (EUROSIM), lead: Hungary) and with the establishment of an 'Integrated European Joint Training and simulation Center (EUROSIM)' under French coordination.
This includes, among other things, the development of a so-called “European Patrol Corvette” (EPC), for which Italy has taken over the coordination and leadership (France is also involved). France, Portugal, Sweden and Spain have joined forces to develop and construct an underwater drone for anti-submarine warfare (Maritime Unmanned AntiSubmarine System (MUSAS)), with Portugal taking the lead. Bulgaria is taking the lead on a 'Divepack' Deployable Modular Underwater Intervention Capability Package'.
background
On December 11, 2017, the Council adopted a decision establishing Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). With PESCO, EU member states can work more closely together in the areas of security and defense. This permanent framework for defense cooperation enables participants to jointly develop defense capabilities, invest in joint projects and improve the readiness of their armed forces.
The first tranche of 17 projects was approved on March 6, 2018, and the second of 17 projects was approved on November 20, 2018.
Overall, they serve to close the capability gaps identified by the European Defense Agency in the Capability Development Plan (CDP) and to strengthen the European Union's ability to act. The spectrum ranges from the development of underwater drones for combating sea mines to the establishment of a disaster prevention center and the development of a protection system for ports and sea routes. Other projects include, for example, the establishment of a rapid reaction force to defend against cyber attacks or the further development of the Tiger attack helicopter. A member state participating in PESCO took over the coordination for each project.
Germany is involved in 16 projects. With seven of these now in total47 projectsis Germany project coordinator:
- European Medical Command
- European Logistics Network (Network of Logistic Hubs in Europe and Support to Operations)
- EU Competence Center for Training Missions (European Union Training Mission Competence Center)
- Structuring the EU crisis response forces (EUFOR – European Union Force – Crisis Response Operation Core (CROC))
- Operation of the so-called Eurodrone (European MALE – Medium Altitude Long Endurance – RPAS – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems)
- Coordinated European Geoinformation Support (Geo METOC Support Coordination Element)
- Cyber and Information Domain (CID) Coordination Center (CIDCC)
Without falling into a beauty contest, it should be noted that with the third tranche France becomes the champion of all PESCO projects: it is taking part in 30 projects and has taken the lead on ten. Italy 26 projects - nine in charge, Spain 24 - two, Greece 14 - 5, Romania 12 - two, Poland and Hungary ten each - one, Czech Republic nine - one.
On average, the member states have six projects. Everyone within the scope of their financial, defense industrial and technological possibilities. And his qualities. For example, Belgium, which is leading the joint minesweeper procurement project with the Netherlands, is coordinating the PESCO project Maritime (semi-)Autonomous Systems for Mine Countermeasures (MAS MCM).
The 25 Member States participating in PESCO are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. Denmark does not participate in the Common Foreign and Security Policy. Malta and Great Britain decided against participating in PESCO.
PESCO ist ein kooperativer Rahmen für die teilnehmenden Mitgliedstaaten, um sich zusammenzufinden und Projekte durchzuführen. Ihre Steuerung verbleibt bei den Mitgliedstaaten. PESCO-Projekte können über dem European Defence Fund (EDF) von einer verstärkten EU-Kofinanzierung profitieren. Letztendlich ist die Finanzierung der einzelnen Projekte die Angelegenheit der an ihnen beteiligten Mitgliedstaaten. Der EDF bietet den Mitgliedstaaten finanzielle Anreize zur Förderung der Verteidigungszusammenarbeit von der Forschung bis zur Entwicklung von Fähigkeiten (bis zu ca. 20 Prozent), einschließlich Prototypen (30 Prozent), durch Kofinanzierung aus dem EU-Haushalt. Eine jährliche Überprüfung der Verteidigungsplanung („Coordinated Annual Review on Defence“ – CARD) soll eine Art Revision sicherstellen.
The member states will now have to demonstrate through implementation how seriously they take the efforts of common defense. In order not to let PESCO – and thus the European arm of NATO – become a paper tiger. Structured cooperation was already criticized for being a model integration object with no operational nutritional value. The member states have given themselves two years to do this. Frederica Mogherini at the press conference after the conference: “It remains at 47 projects for now. In two years the participating Member States may come to new decisions on new projects. But for these two years we will work hard on implementation. Because we know the pressure of expectations – for these 47 in the next two years.”
With PESCO, the EU has taken the path of a voluntary commitment. This is less about strategic autonomy and more about having sufficient crisis management skills. Frederica Mogherini: “This is a contribution in itself to the partnership we have with others like NATO. The first choice will always be to go with others. But if this is not possible for various reasons – political or operational – we should be prepared to go it alone.” The future will be about implementing these intentions in “hardware” and “software”. Similar to NATO, coherence and consistency must be maintained - in the spirit of a real (European) defense union. Not to mention the necessary consequences.
In addition to dealing with the projects, the current status of the CSDP (Common Foreign and Security Policy) missions and operations was also discussed. The Foreign Ministers also exchanged views on EU-NATO cooperation with the newly appointed NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana.
Hans Uwe Mergener
Related topics
EU accepts 14 new PESCO projects Another 14 PESCO projects approved Development of a European tactical drone by 2027 MBDA contribution to the EU missile defense project TWISTER ESSOR high speed waveform removed Pfungstadt logistics hub with initial qualification Knowledge before action - The intelligence services in European foreign and security policy Danes vote to join the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy Anti-tank defense with drone support