Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 12 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 3

Written Answers. - EU Exercise Programme.

Paul Nicholas Gogarty

Ceist:

44 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the joint crisis management exercise planned, as a result of a Turkish proposal, for NATO and the EU in 2003; if Ireland intends to take part in this exercise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26100/02]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

For the EU to be in a position to be able to act effectively in crisis management it must be able to deploy the full range of civilian and military means at its disposal in a coherent and co-ordinated manner. Priority is being accorded to developing instruments and modalities for civil-military co-ordination in the ESDP context. Crisis management procedures are being developed that should guarantee quick, effective and coherent decision-making in Petersberg Task type situations. In this regard the EU Council approved an EU exercise policy and an EU exercise programme for the period 2001-2006.

The exercise policy identifies the EU requirements for categories of exercises, including joint exercises with NATO, and will be the basis for the effective implementation of all EU crisis management exercises. Arrangements for the involvement of the non-EU European NATO members and other candidates for accession to the EU are provided for.

The exercise programme covers the period 2001-2006, with a sequence of exercises designed to ensure appropriate readiness and efficient functioning in crisis management. The exercises are designed to ensure the EU structures, procedures including consultation with the UN and arrangements are properly tested and validated to ensure appropriate readiness and efficient functioning in a Petersberg Task type crisis. The EU does not intend to engage in military field exercises.

As part of the EU exercise programme a joint EU-NATO exercise had been scheduled for October-November 2003. This was to be contingent on agreement being reached between the EU and NATO on EU access to NATO assets and capabilities, and on the level of involvement of non-EU European NATO members in ESDP, known as Berlin Plus. To date agreement on this issue has not yet been reached despite intensive discussions.

As agreement had not been reached, the EU commenced pre-planning on the basis of an EU autonomous exercise without NATO involve ment. Following developments at the NATO Prague summit, the Secretary General of NATO wrote to the Higher Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union suggesting that joint planning for an EU NATO crisis management exercise should commence on the assumption that agreement on Berlin Plus would be reached before the exercise takes place.

At present the feasibility of such a course of action, in view of the work already undertaken on an EU autonomous exercise, is being considered by the EU.