The European External Action Service will prepare a handbook explaining how the common defence mechanics of countries at hazard of external intervention can be used. The aim is to guarantee that EU national rulers realise that there is simply a little-known common assistance clause that is to be akin to Article 5 of NATO and that they are able to make usage of it in the event of a threat.
Specifically, Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty, which states: “Where any associate State becomes the victim of armed aggression in its territory, the another associate States shall be obliged to assist and support it with all the means available to them, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. This does not affect the circumstantial nature of the safety and defence policy of certain associate States. The commitments and cooperation in this area shall be in line with the commitments entered into within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which, for the associate States, remains the basis of their collective defence and a forum for its implementation.’
In an effort to "enhance its strategical autonomy" due to uncertainty about the transatlantic safety guarantee, the EU body liable for the joint diplomacy of EU associate States will make a "practical guide", explaining erstwhile and how Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty should be applied.
According to euractiv.com, the planned guide will find "what kind of resources are available from the EU erstwhile the A42.7 mechanics is launched in a state emergency situation". The EU diplomatic service will explain what procedures can be implemented under certain circumstances.
Simulations will take place in May. Then there will be final guidelines.
Euractiv, citing the anonymous statements of diplomats, suggests that simulations will cover 3 situations: 1 related to the launch of the NATO common Defence Clause, the another concerning the launch of common defence based on Article 42.7 of the Treaty of Lisbon and the third, including the launch of both mechanisms simultaneously.
The interest in this issue was revived by the attack of Iranian drones in Cyprus.
Although the clause obliges European Union countries to assist a associate State in danger, the scope of the aid has not been defined. At the end of April this year, EU leaders are to bend over the issue.
Cyprus is 1 of 4 EU associate States outside NATO. National authorities have not invoked the EU common assistance clause after the drone incident, although respective European countries have provided bilateral military support to strengthen the island's defence.
An additional reason for focusing on the EU solution was the statements of US president Donald Trump, who threatened to disregard Article 5 of NATO. Trump is dissatisfied with the fact that many EU countries do not want to join the violent war in the mediate East, which already has far-reaching consequences worldwide, let alone the expanding number of fatalities and injuries.
As regards Article 42.7 itself, it was already utilized erstwhile by France in 2015 after the terrorist attacks in Paris. The French, trying to get military resources from abroad operations, asked EU partners to support logistics, including the exchange of intelligence, police cooperation and expertise in combating terrorism. Belgium and Germany were asked to help.
The European External Action Service is besides working on a fresh EU safety Strategy, which will include hazard assessment, a joint communication on EU safety policy and an implementation plan.
Source: euractiv.com, lexlege.pl
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