Basic information about the EAPC and PfP
- What is the Partnership for Peace (PfP)?
- What is the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)?
- What countries participate in this cooperation?
- What does the cooperation involve in concrete terms?
- Why is this cooperation important to Sweden?
What is the Partnership for Peace (PfP)?
PfP was created in 1994 as concrete military and confidence-building security cooperation in Europe. PfP is a practically oriented programme for cooperation between NATO and non-NATO countries in Europe, Central Asia and southern Caucasus. For some countries the partnership has been a preparation for NATO membership. For other countries, such as Sweden, it has instead been the prime instrument for developing the military and civil interoperability that countries must have in order to be able to contribute to international crisis management and peace support operations.
UpWhat is the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)?
EAPC was set up in 1997 as the political framework for PfP cooperation. It is a forum for consultation on various issues between NATO and Partner countries. EAPC and PfP are not independent institutions but are linked to the NATO structure. The basic principle for this cooperation is voluntary participation, which means that each individual Partner country decides the extent of its involvement in this cooperation.
What countries participate in this cooperation?
At present a total of 46 countries are participating in EAPC/PfP, of which 26 are NATO members (Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States), and 20 are partner countries (Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Moldavia, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan).
UpWhat does the cooperation involve in concrete terms?
Within the framework of EAPC/PfP cooperation NATO and partner countries cooperate in a number of areas:
· EAPC/PfP is the main instrument for the participation of non-NATO countries in NATO-led crisis management operations. Examples of such operations are the NATO-led PfP operations in Afghanistan (ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force) and Kosovo (KFOR, Kosovo Force).
· EAPC/PfP is the prime instrument for developing the military and civil interoperability that is necessary for participation in international crisis management and peace support operations.
· In EAPC there is an ongoing dialogue about various security policy issues.
· Within the framework of EAPC/PfP, support is provided i.a. for the reform of defence and security sectors in Partner countries in Central Asia and southern Caucasus and for countries in the Western Balkans.
· Civil cooperation is a substantial and concrete part of EAPC/PfP. Cooperation by Partner countries includes civil emergency planning in a broad sense. Cooperation with other international organisations, including the UN, is important.
· NATO/EAPC has adopted a policy on combating trafficking in human beings and guidelines in this area for personnel in NATO-led operations.
Why is this cooperation important to Sweden?
EAPC/PfP is an important part of the European security architecture. Within the framework of its Partnership with NATO Sweden takes part in ISAF and KFOR, both of which are peace-support operations with a mandate from the United Nations (UN). By taking part in these operations Sweden is contributing to international peace and security. The experience from them and from the exercises that Sweden participates in within the framework of the Partnership also help to develop the capacity of Swedens restructured defence forces to perform international tasks.
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