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| E.U. Moves to Create Military Training Headquarters | E.U. Moves to Create Military Training Headquarters |
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| BRUSSELS — Foreign and defense ministers of European Union members reached a deal on Monday to create a headquarters for military training operations — setting aside, at least for now, concerns that the step might lead to the establishment of a “European army” to rival NATO. | BRUSSELS — Foreign and defense ministers of European Union members reached a deal on Monday to create a headquarters for military training operations — setting aside, at least for now, concerns that the step might lead to the establishment of a “European army” to rival NATO. |
| France and Germany support the proposal and have pressed the European Union to do more to ensure its own defense and counter the threat of terrorism. | France and Germany support the proposal and have pressed the European Union to do more to ensure its own defense and counter the threat of terrorism. |
| Britain has long opposed anything that resembled a European military command — but it has voted to leave the European Union, and that has altered the dynamic of the debate. With the United States appearing to take a step back in its role in the world, the core pair of France and Germany is pushing the European Union to take greater responsibility for its security. | Britain has long opposed anything that resembled a European military command — but it has voted to leave the European Union, and that has altered the dynamic of the debate. With the United States appearing to take a step back in its role in the world, the core pair of France and Germany is pushing the European Union to take greater responsibility for its security. |
| The European Union and NATO have overlapping memberships: Of the 28 nations in the European Union, all but six — Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Malta and Sweden — also belong to NATO. Albania, Iceland, Norway and Turkey are in NATO but are not part of the European Union, as are Canada and the United States. | The European Union and NATO have overlapping memberships: Of the 28 nations in the European Union, all but six — Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Malta and Sweden — also belong to NATO. Albania, Iceland, Norway and Turkey are in NATO but are not part of the European Union, as are Canada and the United States. |
| The creation of the union’s headquarters is specifically intended not to undermine NATO’s role. | The creation of the union’s headquarters is specifically intended not to undermine NATO’s role. |
| To placate countries like Poland and the Baltic states that look to NATO as a counterweight to possible Russian aggression, the mandate of the so-called Military Planning and Conduct Capability office is expected to be relatively modest. | To placate countries like Poland and the Baltic states that look to NATO as a counterweight to possible Russian aggression, the mandate of the so-called Military Planning and Conduct Capability office is expected to be relatively modest. |
| “The European Union always takes a soft approach to hard security, but we also have some hard power that we are strengthening,” Federica Mogherini, the European Union foreign policy chief, said on Monday. The new office is “not the European army — I know there is this label going around — but it’s a more effective way of handling our military work,” she added. | “The European Union always takes a soft approach to hard security, but we also have some hard power that we are strengthening,” Federica Mogherini, the European Union foreign policy chief, said on Monday. The new office is “not the European army — I know there is this label going around — but it’s a more effective way of handling our military work,” she added. |
| In a second announcement, in the early afternoon, Ms. Mogherini said that ministers had agreed to the step unanimously, without a vote. | In a second announcement, in the early afternoon, Ms. Mogherini said that ministers had agreed to the step unanimously, without a vote. |
| “It’s a first step,” said Didier Reynders, the Belgian foreign minister. As for “a European army, maybe later,” he said. | “It’s a first step,” said Didier Reynders, the Belgian foreign minister. As for “a European army, maybe later,” he said. |
| Michael Fallon, the British defense minister, said he would urge the European Union “to cooperate more closely with NATO to avoid unnecessary duplication and structures.” | Michael Fallon, the British defense minister, said he would urge the European Union “to cooperate more closely with NATO to avoid unnecessary duplication and structures.” |
| The Military Planning and Conduct Capability office will be based in a building in Brussels that is already used by European military experts, and it will have a core staff of about 30. | |
| Its first job will be to take over the direction of training missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Somalia that are currently overseen by commanders in the field, an arrangement that European Union officials say poses strategic challenges. Under the existing system, field commanders often must return to Brussels to handle matters like administration and funding. The new structure should ensure more support and guidance from Brussels so that those commanders could remain in the field longer. | Its first job will be to take over the direction of training missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Somalia that are currently overseen by commanders in the field, an arrangement that European Union officials say poses strategic challenges. Under the existing system, field commanders often must return to Brussels to handle matters like administration and funding. The new structure should ensure more support and guidance from Brussels so that those commanders could remain in the field longer. |
| The three missions are expected to come under new command from Brussels in the next month, European Union officials said. | The three missions are expected to come under new command from Brussels in the next month, European Union officials said. |
| Ministers also discussed a separate initiative that could allow member states to join a permanent structure to develop equipment or even to engage in combat operations. A so-called Permanent Structured Cooperation was included in the Lisbon Treaty, which went into force in 2009, but the structure was never established. | Ministers also discussed a separate initiative that could allow member states to join a permanent structure to develop equipment or even to engage in combat operations. A so-called Permanent Structured Cooperation was included in the Lisbon Treaty, which went into force in 2009, but the structure was never established. |
| Stepping up efforts to set up the permanent structure is a response to what European Union officials have said are decreasing levels of military cooperation among member states despite repeated promises in recent years to do more together. But the structure would be voluntary, and member states may not qualify if they lack the military capabilities and equipment, or if they are unable to make certain investments. | Stepping up efforts to set up the permanent structure is a response to what European Union officials have said are decreasing levels of military cooperation among member states despite repeated promises in recent years to do more together. But the structure would be voluntary, and member states may not qualify if they lack the military capabilities and equipment, or if they are unable to make certain investments. |
| The approach of allowing member countries of the European Union to proceed at different speeds, even in major policy areas like security and defense, is a new reality for the bloc, which is facing enormous internal strains as a result of factors including the unresolved debt crisis in Greece and a large influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa. | The approach of allowing member countries of the European Union to proceed at different speeds, even in major policy areas like security and defense, is a new reality for the bloc, which is facing enormous internal strains as a result of factors including the unresolved debt crisis in Greece and a large influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa. |
| Last week, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, set out five possible paths for the bloc’s future. Though some of the avenues envision things continuing as they are, or even tighter integration, others acknowledge that Europe can work at different speeds and would roll back powers exercised from Brussels. | Last week, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, set out five possible paths for the bloc’s future. Though some of the avenues envision things continuing as they are, or even tighter integration, others acknowledge that Europe can work at different speeds and would roll back powers exercised from Brussels. |