At their 1999 summit in Helsinki, EU member states stated their ‘determination to develop an autonomous capacity to take decisions and, where NATO as a whole is not engaged, to launch and conduct EU-led military operations in response to international crises’. Through this declaration, the basis of European Security and Defence Policy, their common strategic objectives were defined: military capabilities, autonomy and a capacity for quick reaction. Will the Lisbon Treaty enable these aims set out nearly ten years ago to be attained?
Security and Defence Aspects of the Lisbon Reform Treaty
The treaty modifying the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community was signed in Lisbon in December 2007 and should be ratified by the member states in the course of 2008.
In practice, all the security and defence provisions of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe figure in the current version of the Reform Treaty, which contains significant changes for European defence.
Article 28A (TL) [Article 42 (TEU)(1)] defines the common security and defence policy (CSDP). The main provisions in this area are:
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