The EU Council on foreign Affairs on Monday adopted conclusions on progress in the implementation of the global strategy of the European Union in the field of security and defence with the estimates that will form the basis of a report to the European Council on 9 and 10 March on the implementation of the decision of the EU summit of 15 December 2016.

“Today’s joint meeting of Ministers of foreign Affairs and of defence gave a very clear message: we are gradually moving in the direction of strengthening cooperation in the field of defense and we’ll continue to do more. We are talking about protecting our citizens. The EU has unique tools to help Europeans to take more responsibility for their own safety and do it more efficiently,” said EU high representative for foreign Affairs and security policy and defence Federica Mogherini .

The Council also approved the conceptual proposals on operational capacity to plan and conduct missions and operations under a joint policy of security and defence, which contained measures to enhance the EU’s capacity to respond faster and more effectively, building on existing structures in the framework of the comprehensive approach of the EU.

“These measures include the establishment of the Center for military planning and control for non-combat military missions (MPCC – Military planning and conduct capability) within the existing Military staff, the European external action service,” – said in a communique.

The head of the Military staff of the EU will lead the MPCC and as such will take command of non-combat military missions (currently it is the military training of the EU mission in Somalia, CAR and Mali).

MPCC will work under the political control and strategic direction of the EU Committee for policy and security based in Brussels, composed of permanent representatives of member States of the EU.

The EU Council approved the establishment of an MPCC.

The document notes progress in other areas of security and defense, provides for the future. In particular, we are talking about the establishment of a permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) and the annual coordinated evaluation in the field of defense.