The AFET (Foreign Affairs) Committee vote on a report calling for the establishment of a "European Union rapid deployment capacity", equipped with up to 5 000 troops to respond to crises. The European Union supports peace and stability in its neighbourhood and beyond. As a credible and capable actor in international crisis management, the EU needs to be able to react to conflicts quickly, robustly and effectively. To that end, the EU will develop a Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC) consisting of up to 5 000 troops. This EU RDC will be a robust, flexible and scalable military instrument adding to the EU’s broad crisis management toolbox. Extracts from the vote and statement by Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), Rapporteur.

Committee on Foreign Affairs

statement

common security and defence policy (T)

vote

LÓPEZ, Javi (S&D, ES)

EU Rapid Deployment Capacity: extracts from the vote and statement by Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), Rapporteur

Chair opening the vote on the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity, 7 shots

SOUNDBITE (English), Javi L&#211;PEZ (S&amp;D, ES), Rapporteur, And with this report, we sent the full support to this new policy instrument that has to be relevant for our security and defence capabilities, the rapid deployment capacity. We are asking for an instrument with 5000 day troops ready to be deployed in scenarios under stress to establish action or even rescue. This is one of the lessons that we take after Afghanistan and is part of the global compass and part of the initiatives of the High Representative. If we are to become a global actor, we need instruments to do it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Javi L&Oacute;PEZ (S&amp;D, ES), Rapporteur, 5000 troops, at least with the unanimity of the council with a constructive abstention.This is the process to take decisions, rescue, stabilisation, support of our current missions of defence and security of the European Union. And what good examples? Afghanistan. The withdrawal of our diplomats and the European bodies of the Member States and the EU, and that the lack of capacities to help them. This was one of the examples that we saw in in the past. As I mentioned, this also has to be an instrument to reinforce our role as ally within NATO and at the same time an important step to this kind of instruments to achieve our real strategic autonomy and to be a real global actor.

Chair opening the vote on the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity, 3 shots

Final vote and Ssgn showing the result of the vote; 43 in favour, 2 against, 0 abstentions. The resoloution is adopted. 6 shots