European Union takes big step on path to joint military force

BRUSSELS — The European Union took an important step on Monday toward a substantive defense capacity, as 23 of the 28 member countries signed on to a program of joint military investment in equipment, research and development.

The intention is to jointly develop European military abilities and to make them available for operations separately or in coordination with NATO. The effort also aims to reduce the fragmentation of European military spending and to promote more joint projects to reduce duplication and waste.

At a signing ceremony in Brussels, the European foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, called the deal a “historic moment in European defense.”

Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister and a former defense minister, said the agreement was “a commitment for countries to do better together,” noting that it “comes at a time of significant tension” in Europe stemming from a more aggressive Russia after the annexation of Crimea, and from terrorist attacks by Islamist militants.

For years, Britain blocked this kind of cooperation, concerned that the creation of a European army would undermine NATO and London’s alliance with Washington. Britain instead favored a bilateral arrangement with France.

But with Britain having voted to leave the EU, a process known as Brexit, the other countries in the bloc — especially France, Germany, Italy and Spain — saw the long-dormant idea of military cooperation as a way to show their citizens that Brussels could respond to worries about security and terrorism.

Paris had argued for a smaller group of countries that would commit to serious spending on military capabilities, which Europe mostly lacks outside of NATO, while Berlin argued for a bigger club. France, which will become the most important military power in the EU after Britain departs, wants to be able to conduct operations in places like Mali with European allies without necessarily having to ask NATO for help.

The German view, as is often the case, won out.

The agreement, known in Brussels-speak as “permanent structured cooperation,” or PESCO, is expected to be formalized by European leaders at a summit meeting in midDecember.