The Nordic Countries and the European Security and Defence Policy

400 THE NORDIC COUNTRIES AND THE ESDPArticle III-308The implementation of the common foreignand security policy shall not affect the applicationof the procedures and the extent of thepowers of the institutions laid down by theConstitution for the exercise of the Unioncompetences referred to in Articles I-13 toI-15 and I-17.Similarly, the implementation of the policieslisted in those Articles shall not affect theapplication of the procedures and the extent ofthe powers of the institutions laid down by theConstitution for the exercise of the Unioncompetences under this Chapter.Section 2. The common security anddefence policyArticle III-3091. The tasks referred to in Article I-41(1), inthe course of which the Union may use civilianand military means, shall include jointdisarmament operations, humanitarian andrescue tasks, military advice and assistancetasks, conflict prevention and peace-keepingtasks, tasks of combat forces in crisis management,including peace-making and postconflictstabilisation. All these tasks may contributeto the fight against terrorism, includingby supporting third countries in combatingterrorism in their territories.2. The Council shall adopt European decisionsrelating to the tasks referred to in paragraph1, defining their objectives and scopeand the general conditions for their implementation.The Union Minister for ForeignAffairs, acting under the authority of theCouncil and in close and constant contact withthe Political and Security Committee, shallensure coordination of the civilian and militaryaspects of such tasks.Article III-3101. Within the framework of the European decisionsadopted in accordance with ArticleIII-309, the Council may entrust theimplementation of a task to a group of MemberStates which are willing and have thenecessary capability for such a task. ThoseMember States, in association with the UnionMinister for Foreign Affairs, shall agreeamong themselves on the management of thetask.2. Member States participating in the taskshall keep the Council regularly informed ofits progress on their own initiative or at therequest of another Member State. Those Statesshall inform the Council immediately shouldthe completion of the task entail major consequencesor require amendment of the objective,scope and conditions determined for thetask in the European decisions referred to inparagraph 1. In such cases, the Council shalladopt the necessary European decisions.Article III-3111. The Agency in the field of defence capabilitiesdevelopment, research, acquisition andarmaments (European Defence Agency),established by Article I-41(3) and subject tothe authority of the Council, shall have as itstask to:(a) contribute to identifying the MemberStates’ military capability objectives andevaluating observance of the capability commitmentsgiven by the Member States;(b) promote harmonisation of operationalneeds and adoption of effective, compatibleprocurement methods;(c) propose multilateral projects to fulfil theobjectives in terms of military capabilities,ensure coordination of the programmes implementedby the Member States and managementof specific cooperation programmes;(d) support defence technology research,and coordinate and plan joint research activitiesand the study of technical solutionsmeeting future operational needs;(e) contribute to identifying and, if necessary,implementing any useful measure forstrengthening the industrial and technologicalbase of the defence sector and for improvingthe effectiveness of military expenditure.2. The European Defence Agency shall beopen to all Member States wishing to be partof it. The Council, acting by a qualified majority,shall adopt a European decision definingthe Agency’s statute, seat and operationalrules. That decision should take account of thelevel of effective participation in the Agency’sactivities. Specific groups shall be set upwithin the Agency bringing together MemberStates engaged in joint projects. The Agency