Ciarán Cuffe
Question:124 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Brussels on 21 November 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1521/05]
View answerWednesday, 26 January 2005
Questions (67)
Written answers
On 22 November 2004, the Dutch Presidency convened a meeting of EU Defence Ministers in the form of a Military Capabilities Commitment Conference, MCCC, in order to discuss various aspects of military capability development, in particular in terms of the rapid response elements-battlegroups concept. Most notably, member states gave commitments for up to 13 battle groups and niche capabilities. These commitments will allow for the delivery of the ambitions set in the rapid response elements concept for an initial operating capability in 2005 and a full operating capability in 2007. This would permit the EU to one battle group sized operation in 2005 and one in 2006. From 2007 the EU could launch two concurrent operations.
Following the MCCC, a General Affairs and External Relations Council, GAERC, meeting was held in Defence Ministers formation. At this meeting the conclusions of the MCCC were approved and an update on the activity of the European Defence Agency, EDA, was provided by SG-HR Solana, acting as the head of the EDA. At the second meeting of the steering board of the EDA, which followed the GAERC meeting, the budget and the work programme of the EDA were both formally approved.
Question No. 125 answered with QuestionNo. 116.