WRITTEN QUESTION E-1867/98

by Luigi Caligaris (ELDR) to the Council

(17 June 1998)

Subject: Integration of the WEU into the EU

Since, as the Amsterdam Treaty states, the European Union is to "foster closer institutional relations with the WEU with a view to the possibility of the integration of the WEU into the Union, should the European Council so decide", appropriate steps should be taken to prepare for that eventuality. It would therefore seem to be a good idea to go beyond the consolidated practice of setting up ad hoc delegations involving both sides and create a context in which issues of mutual interest connected with the eventual integration of the WEU into the EU can be constantly examined. It would be an idea to provide the EU with an institute dealing with security matters similar to the WEU one, not only for the purpose stated but also to provide intellectual support for the activities of the European institutions in the difficult sphere of the common foreign and security policy. Should the integration of the WEU into the EU become a reality, the two institutes would fuse.

What is the Council's opinion?

Reply

(28 /29 September 1998)

1. The Honourable Member may be aware that, since 28 January 1997, in informal ad hoc meetings and seminars on subjects of common interest, representatives of the EU and the WEU have addressed issues relating to the implementation of the Petersberg missions referred to in Article J.4(2) of the Treaty on European Union and have engaged in a discussion of the concept of a Common European Defence Policy. On 26 June 1997, the Council took note of the progress achieved in these informal meetings.

On 18 June 1998 the outcome of the discussions on the "modus operandi" for Article J.4(2) was scrutinised in a seminar where the validity of the mechanisms which the ad hoc informal meetings had identified for implementing this provision was broadly confirmed. The discussions on subjects of common interest will continue at ad hoc meetings.

The mechanisms already in place for cooperation between the two organisations (official exchange of documents, cross-representation in meetings, contacts between the two Secretariats) have proved a valuable contribution to the fostering of closer institutional relations between the EU and the WEU.

The question of setting up an institute dealing with security matters has not so far been brought to the Council's attention. In any event, it should be possible, under the current institutional arrangements, for the EU to avail itself of the support provided by the WEU Institute for Security Studies.

2. As to the implementation of the Amsterdam Treaty, the Honourable Member will know that under the Treaty's Protocol on TEC Article 17 (new version) the EU has to draw up arrangements to improve cooperation between the EU and the WEU within a year from the date on which the Treaty comes into force. When this commitment is implemented it will be important to ensure that the new instruments do not duplicate existing EU and WEU structures. Any new mechanisms put in place should be integrated rationally into those structures, which should be exploited to the full.

In a declaration annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty it is agreed that a policy planning and early warning unit will be established within the Council General Secretariat under the responsibility of its Secretary-General as the High Representative for the CFSP. The unit will include staff from the WEU.