The Nordic Countries and the European Security and Defence Policy

394 THE NORDIC COUNTRIES AND THE ESDPChapter II. Specific provisionsArticle I-40. Specific provisions relating to thecommon foreign and security policy1. The European Union shall conduct a commonforeign and security policy, based on thedevelopment of mutual political solidarityamong Member States, the identification ofquestions of general interest and the achievementof an ever-increasing degree of convergenceof Member States’ actions.2. The European Council shall identify theUnion’s strategic interests and determine theobjectives of its common foreign and securitypolicy. The Council shall frame this policywithin the framework of the strategic guidelinesestablished by the European Council andin accordance with Part III.3. The European Council and the Councilshall adopt the necessary European decisions.4. The common foreign and security policyshall be put into effect by the Union Ministerfor Foreign Affairs and by the Member States,using national and Union resources.5. Member States shall consult one anotherwithin the European Council and the Councilon any foreign and security policy issue whichis of general interest in order to determine acommon approach. Before undertaking anyaction on the international scene or any commitmentwhich could affect the Union’s interests,each Member State shall consult theothers within the European Council or theCouncil. Member States shall ensure, throughthe convergence of their actions, that theUnion is able to assert its interests and valueson the international scene. Member Statesshall show mutual solidarity.6. European decisions relating to the commonforeign and security policy shall beadopted by the European Council and theCouncil unanimously, except in the casesreferred to in Part III. The European Counciland the Council shall act on an initiative froma Member State, on a proposal from the UnionMinister for Foreign Affairs or on a proposalfrom that Minister with the Commission’ssupport. European laws and framework lawsshall be excluded.7. The European Council may, unanimously,adopt a European decision authorisingthe Council to act by a qualified majority incases other than those referred to in Part III.8. The European Parliament shall be regularlyconsulted on the main aspects and basicchoices of the common foreign and securitypolicy. It shall be kept informed of how itevolves.Article I-41. Specific provisions relating to thecommon security and defence policy1. The common security and defence policyshall be an integral part of the common foreignand security policy. It shall provide the Unionwith an operational capacity drawing on civiland military assets. The Union may use themon missions outside the Union for peacekeeping,conflict prevention and strengtheninginternational security in accordance with theprinciples of the United Nations Charter. Theperformance of these tasks shall be undertakenusing capabilities provided by the MemberStates.2. The common security and defence policyshall include the progressive framing of acommon Union defence policy. This will leadto a common defence, when the EuropeanCouncil, acting unanimously, so decides. Itshall in that case recommend to the MemberStates the adoption of such a decision inaccordance with their respective constitutionalrequirements.The policy of the Union in accordance withthis Article shall not prejudice the specificcharacter of the security and defence policy ofcertain Member States, it shall respect theobligations of certain Member States, whichsee their common defence realised in theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organisation, under theNorth Atlantic Treaty, and be compatible withthe common security and defence policy establishedwithin that framework.3. Member States shall make civilian andmilitary capabilities available to the Union forthe implementation of the common securityand defence policy, to contribute to the objectivesdefined by the Council. Those MemberStates which together establish multinationalforces may also make them available to thecommon security and defence policy.Member States shall undertake progressivelyto improve their military capabilities.An Agency in the field of defence capabilitiesdevelopment, research, acquisition and armaments(European Defence Agency) shall beestablished to identify operational require-