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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military capabilities that have been fully implemented as specified in the (a) Helsinki Headline Goal Catalogue 2003, (b) the Helsinki Force Catalogue and (c) the Helsinki Progress Catalogue. [155203] Mr. Hoon: There is no Helsinki Headline Goal Catalogue 2003. The Helsinki Headline Goal Catalogue first compiled in 2000, and refined in 2001 and 2002, lists 144 military capability areas required of the EU in order to conduct the Petersberg Tasks within recognised crisis management scenarios. The Helsinki Force Catalogue 2003 and Supplementary Catalogue--which together list the actual forces and capabilities offered by member, accession and third states--show that at least 118 of these capability areas have been met. The Helsinki Progress Catalogue 2003 assesses the progress made overall in the delivery of Headline and Capability Goals, and outlines when new capabilities will feed in to the Force Catalogue. Work now continues--in conjunction with the European Capabilities Action Plan--to address those shortfalls that remain. New Force and Progress Catalogues are expected later this year, and will incorporate the offers made by the ten new members of the EU.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

155203; 418 c43W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

EU common foreign and security policy Standards EU defence policy Petersberg tasks

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk