European Union–NATO relations

European Union–NATO relations

European Union	NATO

The EU does not have a permanent military command structure similar to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO), although it has been agreed that ACO resources may be used for the conduct of the EU's CSDP missions under the Berlin Plus agreement. The MPCC, established in 2017 and to be strengthened in 2020, does however represent the EU's first step in developing a permanent military OHQ. In parallel, the newly established European Defence Fund (EDF) marks the first time the EU budget is used to finance multinational defence projects.

History

Further information: History of NATO and History of the Common Security and Defence Policy

Common origins, where NATO cannibalises intra-European initiatives

Main articles: Brussels Treaty, Western Union (alliance), and North Atlantic Treaty

Tensions and mutual gains as EU gains autonomous defence structures

Main article: Berlin Plus agreement

Following the establishment of the ESDI and the St. Malo declaration, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright were among others who voiced concern that an independent European security pillar could undermine NATO, as she put forth the three famous D's:

Our [...] task is working together to develop [the ESDI] within [NATO], which the United States has strongly endorsed. We enthusiastically support any such measures that enhance European capabilities. The United States welcomes a more capable European partner, with modern, flexible military forces capable of putting out fires in Europe's own back yard and working with us through [NATO] to defend our common interests. The key to a successful initiative is to focus on practical military capabilities. Any initiative must avoid preempting [NATO] decision-making by de-linking ESDI from NATO, avoid duplicating existing efforts, and avoid discriminating against non-EU members. [...]

— US Secretary of State Albright, North Atlantic Council (8 December 1998)

Present cooperation agreements

Main article: Berlin Plus agreement

Comparison of command structures

European Union

The EU command and control (C2) structure is directed by political bodies composed of member states' representatives, and generally requires unanimous decisions. As of April 2019:

Liaison:       Advice and recommendations       Support and monitoring       Preparatory work     

Political strategic level:[5]

ISS

EUCO Pres. (EUCO)

Chain of command

Coordination/support

SatCen

CIVCOM

HR/VP (FAC)

INTCEN

HR/VP (PMG)

HR/VP (PSC)[6]

CEUMC (EUMC)

CMPD

DGEUMS[3] (EUMS)

Military/civilian strategic level:

Dir MPCC[3] (MPCC)

JSCC

Civ OpCdr CPCC[1]

Operational level:

MFCdr[4] (MFHQ)

HoM[1]

Tactical level:

CC[2] Land

CC[2] Air

CC[2] Mar

Other CCs[2]

Forces

Forces

Forces

Forces

¹ In the event of a CSDP Civilian Mission also being in the field, the relations with the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) and its Civilian Operation Commander (Civ OpCdr), as well as the subordinate Head of Mission (HoM), are coordinated as shown.

² Other Component Commanders (CCs) and service branches which may be established.

³ The MPCC is part of the EUMS and Dir MPCC is double-hatted as DGEUMS. Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), either a national OHQ offered by member states or the NATO Command Structure (NCS) would serve this purpose. In the latter instance, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), rather than Dir MPCC, would serve as Operation Commander (OpCdr).

⁴ Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), the MFCdr would be known as a Force Commander (FCdr), and direct a Force Headquarters (FHQ) rather than a MFHQ. Whereas the MFHQ would act both on the operational and tactical level, the FHQ would act purely on the operational level.

⁵ The political strategic level is not part of the C2 structure per se, but represents the political bodies, with associated support facilities, that determine the missions' general direction. The Council determines the role of the High Representative (HR/VP), who serves as Vice-President of the European Commission, attends European Council meetings, chairs the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) and may chair the Political and Security Committee (PSC) in times of crisis. The HR/VP proposes and implements CSDP decisions.

⁶ Same composition as Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) II, which also prepares for the CSDP-related work of the FAC.

NATO

POLITICAL-STRATEGIC LEVEL:

North Atlantic Council (NAC) NATO Headquarters, Brussels, BEL

Secretary-General (SECGEN) NATO Headquarters, Brussels, BEL

International Staff (IS) NATO Headquarters, Brussels, BEL

MILITARY-STRATEGIC LEVEL:

International Military Staff (IMS) NATO Headquarters, Brussels, BEL

Military Committee (MC) NATO Headquarters, Brussels, BEL

STRATEGIC COMMANDS:

Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Allied Command Transformation (ACT) Norfolk, USA

Supreme Allied Commander Europe Allied Command Operations (ACO) Mons, BEL

TRANSFORMATION COMMANDS:

OPERATIONAL COMMANDS:

Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) Stavanger, NOR

Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFC Brunssum) Brunssum, NLD

Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) Ramstein, DEU

Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) Bydgoszcz, POL

Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples) Naples, ITA

Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) İzmir, TUR

Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC) Lisbon, PRT

Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFC Norfolk) Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) Northwood, GBR

Joint Support and Enabling Command (JSEC) Ulm, DEU

Partially overlapping memberships

  Non-European countries

  Transcontinental countries

Comparison of the two main Euro-Atlantic defence organisations

	European Union (in respect of its defence arm, the Common Security and Defence Policy)		NATO
Mutual defence clause	Article 42.7 of the consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union: "If a Member State is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. This shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States. [...]"		Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty: "The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them [on their territory] shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area. [...]"
	Political strategic organisation
Highest office	High Representative (HR/VP)		Secretary General
Principal decision-making body	Foreign Affairs Council		North Atlantic Council
Liaison body	European External Action Service		International Staff
Seat	Kortenberg building (Brussels, Belgium)		NATO headquarters (Brussels, Belgium)
	Military strategic organisation
Supreme commander	Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability		Supreme Allied Commander Europe
Headquarters	Military Planning and Conduct Capability (Brussels, Belgium)		Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (Mons, Belgium)
Chair of chiefs of defence assembly	Chairman of the European Union Military Committee		Chair of the NATO Military Committee
Chiefs of defence assembly	European Union Military Committee		NATO Military Committee
Advisory body	European Union Military Staff		International Military Staff
	Membership	Permanent Structured Cooperation	Membership
Member states of both the EU and NATO
Belgium	Founder	Founder	Founder
Bulgaria	2007	Founder	2004
Croatia	2013	Founder	2009
Czech Republic	2004	Founder	1999
Denmark	1973	2023	Founder
Estonia	2004	Founder	2004
Finland	1995	Founder	2023
France	Founder	Founder	Founder
Germany	Founder	Founder	1955
Greece	1981	Founder	1952
Hungary	2004	Founder	1999
Italy	Founder	Founder	Founder
Latvia	2004	Founder	2004
Lithuania	2004	Founder	2004
Luxembourg	Founder	Founder	Founder
Netherlands	Founder	Founder	Founder
Poland	2004	Founder	1999
Portugal	1986	Founder	Founder
Romania	2007	Founder	2004
Slovakia	2004	Founder	2004
Slovenia	2004	Founder	2004
Spain	1986	Founder	1982
Sweden	1995	Founder	2024
Non-NATO EU member states
Austria	1995	Founder	Partnership for Peace
Cyprus	2004	Founder	No
Ireland	1973	Founder	Partnership for Peace
Malta	2004	No	Partnership for Peace
Non-EU NATO member states
Albania	Candidate	—	2009
Iceland	No	—	Founder
Montenegro	Candidate	—	2017
North Macedonia	Candidate	—	2020
Norway	Defence Agency agreement	—	Founder
Turkey	Candidate	—	1952
United Kingdom	No	—	Founder
European countries outside both the EU and NATO
Andorra	No	—	No
Armenia	No	—	Individual Partnership Action Plan
Azerbaijan	No	—	Individual Partnership Action Plan
Belarus	No	—	Partnership for Peace
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Candidate	—	Membership Action Plan
Georgia	Candidate	—	Intensified Dialogue
Kazakhstan	No	—	Individual Partnership Action Plan
Kosovo	Applicant / Potential candidate	—	No
Liechtenstein	No	—	No
Moldova	Candidate	—	Individual Partnership Action Plan
Monaco	No	—	No
Russia	No	—	Partnership for Peace
San Marino	No	—	No
Serbia	Candidate	—	Individual Partnership Action Plan
Switzerland	Defence Agency agreement	—	Partnership for Peace
Ukraine	Candidate	—	Intensified Dialogue
Vatican City	No	—	No
NATO member states located in North America, which are therefore ineligible for EU membership
Canada	—	—	Founder
United States	—	—	Founder
Members of NATO's Partnership for Peace located outside Europe, which are therefore neither eligible for EU nor NATO membership
Kyrgyzstan	—	—	Partnership for Peace
Tajikistan	—	—	Partnership for Peace
Turkmenistan	—	—	Partnership for Peace
Uzbekistan	—	—	Partnership for Peace

See also

• United States–European Union relations
• Canada–European Union relations
• Turkey–European Union relations