78.

Underlines that the transatlantic alliance remains fundamental for the security and the stability of the European continent, as NATO is the foundation of Europe’s collective defence and is a key pillar of European security; reaffirms further that NATO allies and partners as well as the European Union collectively must do more to meet fair expectations as credible and equal transatlantic partners that are able and willing to defend themselves and to manage crises in their own neighbourhoods, while taking the lead when necessary, but in close coordination with the United States; supports a rebalancing of the responsibilities in the transatlantic security relationship by fostering greater self-reliance for EU Member States in matters of defence as a way to lessen the burden on the US and in a way that will create synergies between NATO membership and EU defence capabilities; stresses that EU-NATO cooperation is based on 74 commonly agreed actions in specific areas; recalls that both organisations have different tasks and priorities, with NATO being in charge of collective territorial defence of its members, and the EU aiming for military crisis management abroad, with a potential for further dialogue and cooperation on security challenges and strategic partnership built on common support for the core values of democracy, freedom and the promotion of peace; stresses that more in-depth cooperation, pooling and sharing and an efficient and transparent European defence sector also strengthens the capabilities available for NATO; underlines that creating a strong EU industrial base and stronger military capabilities at EU level and investing in military mobility and interoperability will not only strengthen the EU but would also simultaneously reinforce the transatlantic alliance and be synergic with the role and relevance of the EU and its Member States in NATO; expresses, therefore, its full commitment to the European defence initiatives, in particular the EDF, PESCO and the EPF, among others; underlines that the transatlantic partnership can only be successful if all Member States fulfil their commitments, including defence investment pledges, and engage in mutual support and pursue a more balanced burden-sharing; underlines the need for all the NATO allies to invest financially in developing, acquiring and maintaining the capabilities that NATO needs to defend its citizens; points also to the ongoing drafting process of the EU Strategic Compass, which will be a milestone for stronger European defence and security cooperation, and underlines that the Strategic Compass should be closely linked with the drafting of NATO’s Strategic Concept, and expresses its conviction that these parallel processes offer a unique opportunity to significantly advance and update the transatlantic political and security partnership and make it fit to address the current global challenges that both the EU and the US are faced with; stresses that the ambition of European strategic autonomy by no means undermines NATO but is complementary to it; calls for the conclusion of an administrative arrangement between the European Defence Agency and the United States and welcomes the commitment by the EU and the US, as reflected in the statement issued at the end of the EU-US summit on 15 June 2021, to begin discussions as soon as possible; promotes the setting up of foreign policy and security and defence policy coordination processes between the US, the EU and the UK;