Q Is this another step towards a “Euro army”?
A Yes, if you believe that France wants to undermine Nato and make the EU a rival security and defence organisation. But Paris insists that it backs Nato and wants to add to, not subtract from, existing security arrangements.

Q What is new in the proposals and why do they alarm anti-Euro army nations, such as Britain?
A The four want the EU to have its own strategic planning headquarters for military operations and suggest forming a “nucleus” capability based around the existing Franco-German brigade, which other EU nations could join.

Q What is wrong with that?
A Everyone in Nato supports a stronger European military capability, but not if it duplicates and rivals the Atlantic alliance’s structures.

Q What has this got to do with the previously announced EU rapid reaction force, and what is the Franco-German brigade?
A The EU decided in 1999 to set up a rapid reaction force, or a pool of available forces from each nation, which could be used in a peacekeeping or humanitarian role when Nato did not wish to participate. The force was proposed to be 60,000-strong, with an initial operating capability by this December.

The EU would be able to use Nato assets, and, most importantly, Nato’s planning set-up at Mons in Belgium, known as Shape (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe). An agreement on this was signed in December.

The Franco-German brigade is one of a number of military formations set up over recent years that could play a part in any future EU operation. It was expanded into a larger formation, known as the Eurocorps, which now includes Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain.

Q So is this new idea of forming a nucleus capability based on the Franco-German brigade a rival to the proposed EU rapid reaction force, presenting yet another ingredient to an already confusing security picture?
A The statement from the four countries yesterday was not clear. However, France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg have only one set of soldiers each, and the only way that the Franco-German brigade can operate within an EU context will be if it is a component part of the EU rapid reaction force.

The impression given yesterday is that the four nations are trying to turn the rapid reaction force into a formation more suited to their own political ambitions.

Q Is the Eurocorps seen as an embryo Euro army?
A It has been viewed as such by its critics, but in fact has been “certified” by Nato as a legitimate force that could operate under the agreed EU-Nato asset-sharing arrangement. A Eurocorps headquarters took over the previously Nato-run Kosovo Force (Kfor) for a year.

Q Would an EU force be practical without Britain?
A Absolutely not. Britain and France are the prime warfighting nations in the EU. Without the British Armed Forces, their peacekeeping and combat experience, as well as their expertise in planning and doctrine, the force would fall at the first hurdle.

Q Wasn’t it Britain that started all this drive for a European defence force?
A Yes. In 1998 at St Malo, Tony Blair agreed a deal on defence co-operation with France. From that, the concept of the rapid reaction force developed. Mr Blair made clear that he wanted a European defence identity to complement, not compete with, Nato. Some suspected that France had other ideas.

Europe’s defence

The seven-point plan agreed by France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg:

1 The development of a European “rapid reaction capability”, something already backed by all 15 EU governments, with the aim of setting up a 60,000-strong force by the end of this year
2 The creation by June 2004 of a “European command for strategic air transport”, with similar moves on sea and land transport to be discussed with “interested states”
3 Creation of a joint European “protection capability” to guard troops and civilians against the risk of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons attacks
4 Establishment of EU-Fast (European Union First Aid and Support) to dispatch emergency humanitarian aid within 24 hours of disasters
5 Development of European tactical training centres for pilots and helicopter crews, with harmonised sea training
6 Strengthened crisis-management and operational planning, establishing a “nucleus of collective capability”. A co-ordinating centre would be set up in Tervuren, outside Brussels, next summer
7 The creation of a “multinational deployable force headquarters” to improve current command and control capabilities available to the EU and Nato

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