EU military crisis management capabilities

The Helsinki Headline Goal- fist definition

• European Council in Helsinki 1999 decision for a Rapid Reaction Force- by Dec. 2003 a corps-level force (60000 troops, up to 15 brigades),

deployment within 60 days, sustainable on the ground for at least one year;- Capable of undertaking the full range of the Petersberg tasks and to be

military self-sustaining with the necessary C3I capabilities, logistics, other combat support services and air and naval elements;

- Pool of deployable forces on a rotating basis, which will approach 200000 professional troops

- Intended for EU-led military operations, with or without recourse to NATO’s assets and capabilities, as well as providing full contribution to NATO-led operations.

• The Headline Goal Taskforce/ Headline Goal Taskforce Plus output- Helsinki Force Catalogue

- The Petersbers tasks, 4 scenarios: separation by force of warring parties, peacekeeping, humanitarian operation, evacuation of nationals

The Helsinki Headline Goal- analytical work to elaborate the Goal

• Sintra, EU Defence Ministers, February 2000: ‘Toolbox Paper’ and ‘Food for Thought’

- Strategic context/ Adversary’s character/ PR conduct of the operation- Planning assumptions and scenarios- Identification of the full range of the Headline goal requirementsThe numbers:Army: 200000-230000-strong combat force, incl. combat support and logistics;

15 brigades on operation, 15 training to go and 15 recently relievedAir force: 300-350 combat aircraft: 8-9 air wings and 180 support aircraftNavy: 4 task groups each comprising of 20 frigates • Nice Summit (Dec. 2000)- assessment mechanisms/ the existing NATO

assessment mechanisms (Defence Planning Process and Planning and Review Process) and their technical data; the process (reports on process every six months)

• The Conference on EU Capability Improvement (Nov. 2001)- European Capabilities Action Plan; bottom-up approach, cooperation and coordination with NATO

The issue of capabilities• Institutional capabilities: lack of operational HQ facilities • Military capabilities: problem areas: C4IRS; strategic airlift and naval lift;

collective capabilities goals in the field of strategic transport, command, control, and intelligence

• Capabilities Commitment Conference (November 2000) - Member States pledged military contingents and assets to an EU rapid

deployment force. The Capabilities Commitment Conference produced a Declaration, pooling 100,000 combat personnel, including the contributions of NATO and non-EU members; Additionally, as the Force Catalogue defined the target, the Conference sets out a pool of 400 combat aircraft and 100 naval vessels.

- Declaration: reiterates the importance of attaining and welcomes the initiatives, announced by certain Member States for better arrangements in coordination and reinforcement of the existing capabilities e.g. to open joint national headquarters to officers from other Member States, to establish an European air command facility, to develop and coordinate monitoring and early warning means, to increase the number of rapidly deployable troops.