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Thessaloniki European Council, 19-20 June 2003: Presidency Conclusions |
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(Source: Greek European Council Presidency; issued June 21, 2003)
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The European Council met in Thessaloniki on 19 and 20 June 2003. The meeting was preceded by an exposé by the President of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, followed by an exchange of views concerning the main items on the agenda.
(The following is excerpted from the final communique)
ESDP
The European Council endorses the report from the Presidency on progress in ESDP.
The European Council welcomes the conclusions of the GAERC on 19 May and notes with satisfaction the progress made in the field of military capabilities. The EU now has operational capability across the full range of Petersberg tasks, limited and constrained by recognised shortfalls, which can be alleviated by the further development of the EU's military capabilities, including through the establishment of ECAP Project Groups.
Progress was made in the development of capabilities and conceptual aspects of the four priority areas of civilian crisis management, namely police, rule of law, civilian administration and civil protection.
The operational capability of the European Union has been reaffirmed through the launching of three ESDP operations, EUPM in Bosnia-Herzegovina, CONCORDIA in FYROM and ARTEMIS in Bunia, DRC.
The EU-led operations EUPM and ARTEMIS have provided strong impetus to the cooperation between the EU and the UN.
The European Council welcomes the conclusion and implementation of EU-NATO permanent arrangements, in particular Berlin Plus, which enhanced the operational capability of the Union and provided the framework for the strategic partnership between the two organisations in crisis management.
Further to the mandate received at the Seville European Council, the Presidency has submitted the annual report on the implementation of the EU Programme for the Prevention of Violent Conflicts which the European Council hereby endorses. Furthermore, in implementing this programme, the Greek Presidency has emphasised the regional approach by focusing mainly on the Western Balkans.
The European Council notes with satisfaction the progress achieved in the contribution of EU external action (including CFSP/ESDP) to the fight against terrorism, as reflected in the attached report (Annex I) on the subject, which the European Council hereby endorses.
The European Council noted a report by Prime Minister Verhofstadt on the meeting on 29 April 2003 on ESDP.
Weapons of mass destruction
The European Council endorses the attached declaration (Annex II) on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction adopted by the GAERC on 16 June 2003.
Agency in the field of defence capabilities
The European Council, following the 2003 Spring European Council, tasks the appropriate bodies of the Council to undertake the necessary actions towards creating, in the course of 2004, an intergovernmental agency in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments.
This agency, which shall be subject to the Council's authority and open to participation by all Member States, will aim at 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 industrial potential in this domain. (ends)
Click here for the full text of the final communiqué, on the Greek Presidency website (HTML format)
-ends-
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