§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
In the light of the political and operational arrangements for the European Union military force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, what is their policy towards the respective responsibilities of the United Nations Security Councils and the European Council when intervention by European Union forces outside the European Union is being planned or undertaken. [HL3738]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanUnder the UN charter, the Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The EU's security and defence policy can be used to support the UN. This is the case in the operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the EU is operating under a UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) mandate. In this case, the UNSCR sets out the mandate for the force and authorises the deployment of the force under that mandate. But the political control and strategic direction of the EU operation within the mandate is a matter for the EU.
The EU can also conduct crisis management operations without requiring a specific UNSCR to authorise the mission; for example, when the EU is operating at the request of the country concerned. as is the case for the EU's mission in Macedonia.