Date of release : 18-03-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : Informal Meeting of Defence Ministers

After the first working session at the informal meeting of Ministers for Defence of the European Union, Luc Frieden, Minister for Defence, commented on the debates on the strengthening of military capacity:

"Today we examined in detail where we are in the realisation of the very important objective that the European Union has set for 2010, which is to have increased military capacity, improved military capacity, in order to be able to better manage crises. To do this, the situation must be mapped out on a regular basis. All of the Member States must make their contribution, and today we were able to confirm that all of the Member States remain determined to work together to achieve this objective: to be capable of rapid intervention inside and outside of Europe in order to prevent or put an end to crises in the interest of stability and security.

Certain Ministers made quite concrete proposals for filling in the existing gaps. In accordance with the schedule agreed on in November 2004, we have decided to put into place the majority of the battlegroups in the next three years. These groups are units of 1500 men and women that can intervene immediately in different places in the world and which would allow, if necessary, two crisis management operations to be undertaken simultaneously. I can confirm that we wish to make progress in this line. In spite of the difficulties, we can maintain the schedule we have set for 2010. We must regularly review where we are, and we will do this no later than 23 May 2005 during the next meeting of Ministers for Defence in the framework of the General Affairs and External Relations Council."