Claim: The European Defence Agency was formed in July 2004 to support the member states and the European Council in their effort to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the Suropean security and defence policy as it stands and develops.
Evidence: 12 July 2004; 16 years ago (2004-07-12) The European Defence Agency (EDA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) that promotes and facilitates integration between member states within the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The EDA is headed by the High Representative (HR/VP), and reports to the Council. The Council of the European Union, often referred to in the treaties and other official documents simply as the Council, and informally known as the Council of Ministers, is the third of the seven Institutions of the European Union (EU) as listed in the Treaty on European Union. The Council established the EDA "to support the Member States and the Council in their effort to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the European Security and Defence Policy as it stands now and develops in the future".