The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is the framework for integration between 25 out of 28 national armed forces within the European Union (EU). The predominantly intergovernmental structures resulting from PESCO are incorporated in the Union's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

This possibility is provided for in Article 42.6 of the Treaty on European Union, as introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009. This integration is similar to enhanced co-operation in other policy areas, in the sense that integration does not require that all EU member states participate.

History

2009: Enabled by the Treaty of Lisbon

The Treaty of Lisbon added the possibility for those members whose military capabilities fulfill higher criteria and which have made more binding commitments to one another in this area with a view to the most demanding missions shall establish permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) within the EU framework.^[1]

2017: Activation

On 7 September 2017 an agreement was made between EU foreign affairs ministers to move forward with PESCO with 10 initial projects. Although the details are still to be established, the aim would be for it to be as inclusive of member states as possible and is anticipated to be activated in December 2017.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Framework

Those Member States whose military capabilities fulfil higher criteria and which have made more binding commitments to one another in this area with a view to the most demanding missions shall establish permanent structured cooperation within the Union framework. Such cooperation shall be governed by Article 46. It shall not affect the provisions of Article 43.
— Article 42.6 of Treaty on European Union

Those states shall notify their intention to the Council and to the High Representative. The Council then adopts, by qualified majority a decision establishing PESCO and determining the list of participating Member States. Any other member state, that fulfills the criteria and wishes to participate, can join the PSCD following the same procedure, but in the voting for the decision will participate only the states already part of the PSCD. If a participating state no longer fulfills the criteria a decision suspending its participation is taken by the same procedure as for accepting new participants, but excluding the concerned state from the voting procedure. If a participating state wishes to withdraw from PSCD it just notifies the Council to remove it from the list of participants. All other decisions and recommendations of the Council concerning PSCD issues unrelated to the list of participants are taken by unanimity of the participating states.^[1]

The criteria established in the PSCD Protocol are the following:^[1]

co-operate and harmonise requirements and pool resources in the fields related to defence equipment acquisition, research, funding and utilisation, notably the programmes and initiatives of the European Defence Agency (e.g. Code of Conduct on Defence Procurement)
capacity to supply, either at national level or as a component of multinational force groups, targeted combat units for the missions planned, structured at a tactical level as a battle group, with support elements including transport (airlift, sealift) and logistics, within a period of five to 30 days, in particular in response to requests from the United Nations, and which can be sustained for an initial period of 30 days and be extended up to at least 120 days.
capable of carrying out in the above timeframes the tasks of joint disarmament operations, humanitarian and rescue tasks, military advice and assistance tasks, conflict prevention and peace-keeping tasks, tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peace-making and post-conflict stabilisation^[1]

Administration

Although PESCO is predominantly intergovernmental, the European Defence Agency and External Action Service will act as PESCO's secretariat.^[6]

Projects

Planned

List of first collaborative PESCO projects as of 2017:^[7]

Participation in PESCO Projects^[8]
Country	Austria	Belgium	Bulgaria	Cyprus	Croatia	Czech Republic	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Ireland	Italy	Latvia	Lithuania	Luxembourg	Netherlands	Poland	Portugal	Romania	Slovakia	Slovenia	Spain	Sweden
European Medical Command	No	No	Observer	No	No	Observer	No	No	Observer	Lead	No	No	No	Yes	No	Observer	Observer	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
European Secure Software-defined Radio (ESSOR)	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Observer	Yes	Lead	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Observer	No
Network of logistic Hubs in Europe and support to Operations	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Observer	Lead	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Military Mobility	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Observer	Lead	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Lead	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
European Union Training Mission Competence Centre (EU TMCC)	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Observer	No	No	Lead	Lead	No	No	Yes	Lead	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Observer	Lead	Yes
European Training Certification Centre for European Armies	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Lead	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Observer	No
Energy Operational Function (EOF)	No	Yes	No	Observer	No	No	No	No	Lead	Observer	No	No	Observer	Yes	No	No	No	Observer	No	Observer	No	No	No	Yes	No
Deployable Military Disaster Relief Capability Package	Yes	No	Observer	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Lead	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Maritime (Semi-) Autonomous Systems for Mine Countermeasures (MAS MCM)	No	Lead	No	No	No	No	Observer	No	Observer	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Observer	No
Harbour & Maritime Surveillance and Protection (HARMSPRO)	No	Observer	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Lead	No	No	No	Observer	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Upgrade of Maritime Surveillance	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Lead	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Observer	No	No	No	Yes	No
Cyber Threats and Incident Response Information Sharing Platform	Yes	Observer	No	Yes	No	No	Observer	Observer	No	Observer	Lead	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Observer	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Observer	Yes	No
Cyber Rapid Response Teams and Mutual Assistance in Cyber Security	No	Observer	No	No	Yes	No	Observer	Yes	No	Observer	Observer	No	No	No	No	Lead	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Observer	Yes	No
Strategic Command and Control (C2) System for CSDP Missions and Operations	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Observer	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Lead	No
Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle / Amphibious Assault Vehicle / Light Armoured Vehicle	No	No	No	No	No	Observer	No	No	No	No	Yes	Observer	No	Lead	No	No	No	No	No	Observer	No	Observer	No	Observer	No
Indirect Fire Support (EuroArtillery)	No	No	Observer	No	No	Observer	No	No	No	No	No	Observer	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Observer	No	Lead	Observer	Observer	No
EUFOR Crisis Response Operation Core (EUFOR CROC)	No	Observer	No	Yes	No	Observer	No	No	Lead	Lead	No	No	No	Lead	No	No	No	No	No	Observer	No	No	Observer	Lead	No