EU-NATO cooperation and European defence after the Warsaw Summit

Briefing 15-12-2016

On 6 December 2016 the Council of the EU adopted conclusions on implementing the EU-NATO Joint Declaration, signed at NATO's Warsaw Summit in July 2016, which aims to strengthen cooperation in a number of critical areas. The conclusions endorse over 40 concrete proposals made by the High Representative/Vice President, Federica Mogherini, and NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg. The implementation of the joint declaration is one of three components of a wider defence package aimed at boosting integration in the area of security and defence. The package – submitted to the European Council of 15 and 16 December 2016 in Brussels – also includes measures to implement the security and defence aspects of the Global Strategy, as well as the Commission’s European Defence Action Plan in support of the defence industry, both of which were presented in November 2016. The EU-NATO Joint Declaration holds the potential to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two organisations with concrete actions, but financial concerns, the will of Member States, and recent political developments are challenges that need to be addressed for its successful implementation.