At the meeting, the EU Defence Ministers will discuss crisis management operations currently being carried out by the European Union under the auspices of European security and defence policy (ESDP). The main emphasis will be on the EUFOR Althea operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU’s new military bridging operation in Chad and the Central African Republic (EUFOR Chad/CAR).

The informal meeting will go on to discuss the progress made in developing EU military capabilities and the further steps necessary to achieve the objectives laid down in the Headline Goal 2010. The Ministers will also debate issues related to the work of the European Defence Agency and will conclude with a discussion on the EU’s strategic partnerships with other organisations (the UN, NATO, the AU).

In addition to the Defence Ministers of the EU Member States, the meeting will be attended by representatives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, of the EU Military Staff (EUMS) and of the UN and NATO.

The meeting, although informal, will make a significant contribution to further strengthening and developing the ESDP, will help coordinate EU Member States’ opinions and standpoints and will assist mutual cooperation with the most important stakeholders within and outside Europe.