European Defence Force (Hansard, 9 July 2001)

§ 26. Mr. Fallon
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the European Defence Force will have a planning capability separate from NATO. [1208]

§ Mr. Hoon
There is no standing European Defence Force.
The EU has a very small military staff to support its ability to take decisions which have military implications. This staff will undertake the high level consideration of options to support political/military decision making.
Heads of State and Government agreed at Nice that the EU military staff will not have an operational planning function. They also agreed that NATO will carry out operational planning for EU-led operations that have recourse to NATO assets and capabilities. Operational planning for other operations may be carried out in existing national and multinational headquarters, such as the UK's permanent joint headquarters at Northwood.

§ 29. Mr. Robathan
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice he has received from his senior military advisers about the likely effectiveness of the proposed European defence force. [1211]

§ Mr. Hoon
The EU is not creating a standing European Defence Force.
The EU Headline Goal required the identification of a pool of forces potentially available for EU-led operations. Nations nominated their contributions to this pool at a Capability Commitments Conference in November 2000. Further improvements are to be identified at a second Conference later this year.
The purpose of the Headline Goal is to encourage EU member states to make improvements in military capability. It is mutually reinforcing with NATO's Defence Capabilities Initiative.
These arrangements are being developed on the basis of the best professional military advice.