Berlin Plus agreement
The Berlin Plus agreement is the short title of a comprehensive package of agreements made between NATO and the EU on 16 December 2002[1] and are the cornerstone These agreements were based on the conclusions of NATO's 1999 Washington summit, and allowed the EU to draw on some of NATO's military assets in its own peacekeeping operations.
Content
The Berlin Plus agreement is comprised of seven major parts:[1][2]
- The NATO-EU Security Agreement: covers the exchange of classified information under reciprocal security protection rules.
- Assured Access to NATO planning capabilities for EU-led Crisis Management Operations (CMO)
- Availability of NATO assets and capabilities for EU-led CMO; such as communication units and headquarters for EU-led crisis management operations.
- Procedures for Release, Monitoring, Return and Recall of NATO Assets and Capabilities
- Terms Of Reference for DSACEUR and European Command Options for NATO
- EU - NATO consultation arrangements in the context of an EU-led CMO making use of NATO assets and capabilities
- Arrangements for coherent and mutually reinforcing Capability Requirements, in particular the incorporation within NATO's long-established defence planning system of the military needs and capabilities that may be required for EU-led military operations.
This comprehensive framework for NATO-EU relations was concluded on March 17, 2003 by the exchange of letters by Secretary General/High Representative Javier Solana and the then-Secretary General of NATO Lord Robertson.[2]
Practice
The formalisation of the Berlin Plus package made it possible for the EU to undertake crisis management operations with the support of NATO.[2] To date, the EU has conducted two operations with the support of NATO:
- Operation Concordia in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The EU took over from NATO's operation Allied Harmony and deployed around 300 troops to provide security to EU and OSCE monitors overseeing the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement.
- Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following NATO's decision at the 2004 Istanbul summit to terminate the mission of NATO's Stabilisation Force (SFOR) by the end of the year, the EU started its own 7,000-strong mission in the country with the aim to implement the military aspects of the Dayton Peace Agreement and to maintain a safe and secure environment.