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As well as meeting on a regular basis, the two organisations work together in the field under “Berlin Plus” arrangements. They have also decided to develop cooperation to combat terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and are working toward concerted planning of capabilities development.
NATO and EU officials meet on a regular basis at different levels at foreign ministers' level twice a year; at ambassadors' level (the North Atlantic Council with the EU’s Political and Security Committee) a minimum of three times per semester; at the level of the Military Committee twice every semester; at the committee level on a regular basis; at staff level on a routine basis.
The establishment of permanent military liaison arrangements is being considered to facilitate cooperation at the operational level. Proposals include establishing an EU cell at SHAPE (NATO’s strategic command for operations in Mons, Belgium) and NATO liaison arrangements at the EU Military Staff.
In light of the substantive improvement in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s security environment, NATO Heads of States and Government decided at the Istanbul Summit to conclude the Alliance’s SFOR operation in the country by the end of 2004 and to prepare a smooth transition to a follow-on mission led by the EU within the framework of the “Berlin Plus” arrangements. In practice, this will mean that the EU will run the mission in close coordination and cooperation with NATO: it will have access to NATO’s assets and planning and NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) will be the EU Operation Commander. The name of the new EU force to Bosnia and Herzegovina will be “Althea”. NATO will remain committed to the stabilisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and will maintain a presence in the country. It will keep a headquarters in Sarajevo and continue to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina in areas such as defence reform and the fight against terrorism.
On 31 March 2003, the EU-led Operation Concordia took over the responsibilities of the NATO-led mission, Operation Allied Harmony, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1 . Concordia was terminated on 15 December 2003 and replaced by Proxima, an EU-led police mission.
In line with the "Berlin-Plus" arrangements, NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) was appointed as Operation Commander of this first ever EU-led military peacekeeping mission. NATO supported the EU on strategic, operational and tactical planning. An EU-Operation Headquarters (OHQ) was set-up at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium, to assist the Operation Commander. In addition, an ‘EU Command Element’ (EUCE) was established at AFSOUTH in Naples, Italy (which is the NATO Joint Force command for Balkan operations). The Chief of Staff of AFSOUTH also became Chief of Staff of the new EU Command Element, assisted by an EU Director for Operations.
These dual NATO-EU posts guaranteed the linkage between the EU’s and NATO’s operational chain of command during Concordia. This mission was the first in which NATO assets had been made available to the EU.
A few months later, in July 2003, the EU and NATO published a "Concerted Approach for the Western Balkans", which outlines core areas of cooperation and emphasises the common vision and determination both organisations share to bring stability to the region.
EU and NATO foreign ministers have reaffirmed their willingness to develop closer cooperation to combat terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The institutions have already exchanged information on their activities in the field of protection of civilian populations against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks. NATO and the EU also consult on other issues of common interest, such as the situation in Moldova and Afghanistan.
Concerted planning of capabilities development and mutual reinforcement
between NATO’s Prague Capability Commitment (PCC) and the EU’s European Capabilities
Action Plan (ECAP) have also become part of the NATO-EU agenda.
The EU’s earlier European Capabilities Action Plan (ECAP) comprised
a catalogue of forces and capabilities for the EU Headline Goal (to be able
to deploy up to 60,000 troops by the end of 2003 for humanitarian and rescue
missions, as well as peacekeeping and peacemaking). NATO experts provided
military and technical advice starting from the preparations to the implementation
of the ECAP. NATO and EU capabilities planning and mutual reinforcement between
the Prague Capability Commitment (PCC) and the European Capabilities Action
Plan (ECAP) are being addressed in the NATO-EU Capability Group, established
in May 2003.
Since then, the EU announced the creation of a new concept in February 2004, which would lead to the launching of rapid reaction units composed of joint battle groups. According to the new "Headline Goal" for 2010, these units would be completely developed by 2007.
The "Headline Goal" also envisages the creation of an EU Defence Agency that would focus on the development of defence capabilities, research, acquisition and armaments. In effect, the "Headline Goal" aims to translate the European Security Strategy into concrete military objectives in order to fulfil the EU's capability development in the long-term.
