§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the ESDP's readiness to take on(a) a peacekeeping role, and (b) a humanitarian aid relief role. [24939]
§ Mr. BradshawAt Laeken the EU assessed that it was now able to conduct some crisis-management operations. The EU will be in a position to take on more demanding operations as the assets an capabilities at its disposal continue to develop. Decisions to make use of this ability will be taken in the light of the circumstances of each particular situation, a determining factor being the military and civilian assets and capabilities at the disposal of the Union at the time.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost to the EU of EU structures that there have been created to support the ESDP in(a) the current financial year and (b) each of the next two years. [24988]
§ Mr. BradshawThe budget of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union contains a provision of £10.7 million to meet expenses related to the European Union Military Staff and infrastructure and meeting costs in support of the European Security and Defence Policy during the current EU financial year. There are no estimates currently available for these costs in future financial years.
The current year is the first in which the budget of the General Secretariat has included disaggregated figures for the costs of the European Security and Defence Policy. In the figure stated it has therefore been possible to include not only the costs of the infrastructure supporting ESDP, as estimated in the answer to the hon. Member's question of 5 December 2001, Official Report, column 360W, but also the costs of meetings and of the European Union Military Staff, which will near full staffing this year.