How are decisions taken on a peace-support operation under EU auspices?
Within the framework of EU´s Common Foreign and Security Policy all Member States, together with the Commission, have the right to propose that the EU should act in a certain foreign policy issue. This also applies to EU peace-support operations including the use of EU Battlegroups.
After a proposal is presented for the EU to carry out a peace-support operation in a conflict area, the issue is raised for discussion between all Member States. If it turns out that some members oppose the proposal, no EU operation is carried out. If, on the other hand, there is agreement that the EU should send troops to the conflict area, planning begins of the possible composition of the operation and the tasks it should be able to carry out.
What kind of operation is needed?
The first question that must be answered is what kind of operation is needed. The way the operation is designed depends on many different factors. It is primarily a matter of what type of measures are necessary in the specific situation. Sometimes it may only be a limited operation with civilian experts in building rule of law that is needed most, sometimes it may be a military peace-keeping operation that is relevant. At other times a combination of several different functions with both civilian and military components is needed.
The negotiations
The possibility to launch a new operation and if so, what components it should include, is normally first discussed between EU members in different committees and working groups in Brussels. Civilian issues are first discussed in the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM) with the support of the Council Secretariat. Military issues are first discussed in the EU Military Committee and its preparatory working groups, with the support of the EU Military Staff. The overall coordination responsibility rests with the Political and Security Committee (PSC), which consists of ambassadors from all Member States and which exercises political control and strategic management once an operation has been launched.
Member States´ resources determine the EU contribution
Besides the political will, the composition of the operation also depends on the resources that the EU Member States can make available. The Union does not have any civilian or military resources of its own; operations are instead carried out with personnel and equipment that the Member States place at the Union´s disposal for each individual operation. Each government makes its own decision on a case-by-case basis of whether it wants to provide personnel and other resources.
In connection with military operations, the EU can also draw on certain resources from NATO, primarily for planning, and for command and control of the operation from NATO Headquarters.
The Council makes the decision
When all Member States agree on the composition of an operation, and if sufficient resources and financing are available to carry it out, the Council of the European Union makes a unanimous decision that the EU will carry out the operation. The Council can also decide that the possibility to make certain subsequent decisions can be delegated to the Political and Security Committee.
