2003/664/EC: Permanent Representatives Committee decision of 4 September 2003 setting up the Ad hoc Group to prepare the creation of an intergovernmental agency in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments (Ad hoc Preparation Group)
Date: 2003-09-04
Institutions: Permanent Representatives Committee
Subjects: EU Member State, European arms policy, European cooperation, common security and defence policy, military research, world organisation

L 235/22

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

23.9.2003

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE DECISION

of 4 September 2003

setting up the Ad hoc Group to prepare the creation of an intergovernmental agency in the field
of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments (Ad hoc Preparation
Group)

(2003/664/EC)

THE COMMITTEE OF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Having regard to Article 19(3) of
Procedure,

the Council Rules of

Whereas:

Article 1

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

The European Council meeting at Thessaloniki on 19
and 20 June 2003 invited the Presidency, in association
with the Secretary-General/High Representative, to take
the work forward on the creation of an intergovern-
mental agency within the EU in the field of defence
capabilities development, research, acquisition and arma-
ments, taking into account the work of the Convention
and the Intergovernmental Conference.

1.
An Ad hoc Group to prepare the creation of the intergo-
vernmental agency in the field of defence capabilities develop-
ment, research, acquisition and armaments (hereafter the Ad
hoc Preparation Group) is hereby established in order to under-
take the necessary actions towards creating, in the course of
2004, an intergovernmental agency in the field of defence
capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments.

The Political and Security Committee is responsible,
under the auspices of the Council, for the political direc-
tion of the development of military capabilities.

The Presidency has put forward a work plan to carry out
this mandate and will, in the course of that work, take
full account of the work of the Informal Advisory Group
of representatives of the Ministers of Defence.

The conclusions of the Thessaloniki European Council
state that the Agency should be subject to the Council's
authority and that the necessary actions to establish it in
the course of 2004 should be prepared by the appro-
priate bodies of the Council.

2.
The Ad hoc Preparation Group shall work in close coor-
dination with the Political and Security Committee, respecting
the responsibilities given to this Committee, under the auspices
of the Council, for the political direction of the development of
military capabilities, and, through the Political and Security
Committee, with the EU Military Committee.

3.

The Ad hoc Preparation Group shall report to Coreper.

Article 2

from a

This work would benefit
comprehensive
approach involving expertise in all the areas foreseen by
the conclusions of the Thessaloniki European Council on
the Agency and that, for that purpose, it is necessary to
institute an Ad hoc Group,

1.
The Ad hoc Preparation Group shall be composed of
national representatives of the Member States. Member States
shall ensure the effective involvement of their Ministries of
Defence.

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The Commission shall participate in the work of the Ad hoc
Preparation Group.

The Ad hoc Preparation Group may, also, meet at the level of
national representatives with expertise in the areas of the Agen-
cy's aims as set out by the European Council at Thessaloniki,
namely:
‘developing defence capabilities in the field of crisis
management, promoting and enhancing European armaments
cooperation, strengthening the European defence industrial and
technological base and creating a competitive European defence
equipment market, as well as promoting, in liaison with the
Community's research activities where appropriate, research
aimed at leadership in strategic technologies for future defence
and security capabilities, thereby strengthening Europe's indus-
trial potential in this domain’.

The Ad hoc Preparation Group shall also take into account the
work of the Convention and the Intergovernmental Conference.

2.
The Ad hoc Preparation Group will be reinforced, as
appropriate, by representatives from the EU Military Committee
and the Polarm Working Party, who may meet, in support of
Agency's aims, also at the level of National Armaments Direc-
tors or their representatives.

Article 3

The Ad hoc Preparation Group shall cease to exist upon
completion of its tasks as defined in Article 1(1).

Article 4

This Decision shall take effect on the day of its adoption. It
shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 4 September 2003.

For the Committee of Permanent
Representatives

The Chairman

U. VATTANI