EU Commission to draw up blueprint for invoking mutual assistance clause
The European Commission is to draw up a blueprint setting out how the EU should respond if a member state invokes its mutual assistance clause, Article 42.7. The announcement was made by Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides on Friday, ahead of the second day of the informal EU summit in Cyprus.
Under Article 42.7, if a member state comes under armed attack, all other member states are obliged to provide assistance. That assistance can range from diplomatic support and technical or medical aid to civilian or military assistance. The article has been invoked only once, by France following the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.
The clause has been the subject of renewed debate since US president Donald Trump made threats regarding Greenland earlier this year. Its concrete implementation, however, remains poorly defined. The European Parliament called earlier this year for the article's operational value to be strengthened and for the practical arrangements in the event of its activation to be spelled out more clearly.
Cyprus pushes for blueprint
Cyprus, which currently holds the Council of the EU presidency, has also placed the issue high on its agenda. The matter came up again in early March after Cyprus was indirectly drawn into the conflict in the Middle East when a drone struck a British airbase on the island. Cyprus is not a NATO member and cannot therefore invoke the alliance's equivalent, Article 5.
"There are a number of questions we need answers to," said Christodoulides. "Suppose France invokes the article. Which countries should be the first to respond? What are that country's needs? All of that will be set out in a blueprint, to have an operational plan that can be activated if a country invokes the article."
Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever said in parliament earlier this week that he is in principle in favour of clarifying Article 42.7, in line with the European ambition for greater autonomy in the field of defence. Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten stated on Friday, however, that NATO remains his country's most important military alliance.
PHOTO © Nicolas TUCAT / AFP
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