EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC) approved – a mini EU Army

This EU military instrument for rapid reaction to crises would consist of up to 5000 troops and should reach full operational capability by 2025 at the latest. In a resolution adopted on April 18th MEPs supported the proposal to establish the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC).

This force, consisting of up to 5000 troops, with ‘land, air and maritime’ units would be deployed quickly to intervene anywhere in world. The RDC would be designed to reflect the new geopolitical context and reach full operational capability by 2025 at the latest, say MEPs.The RDC would be designed to reflect the new geopolitical context and reach full operational capability by 2025 at the latest.

Its missions should cover rescue and evacuation operations, entry and the initial phase of stabilisation operations as well as temporarily reinforcing other missions. The RDC could also be used as a reserve force to secure an exit when needed. It should be flexible in order to be prepared to address all possible crisis situations, they add. Read this and then decide for yourself whether we are well on the way to an EU Army

MEPs insisted on the necessity to conduct regular joint exercises, ‘in line with NATO standards’, that should be scheduled by the EU Foreign Policy Chief, and planned and conducted by the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), to improve readiness and interoperability as the EU and NATO become increasingly indistinguishable.

EU RDC troops should be assigned exclusively to it, with member states able to call them up for national duty in the event of an emergency. MEPs also stress that for this rapid deployment capability to be effective, it should have permanent operational headquarters with appropriate funding, staff and infrastructure and an integrated secure communication.

Deployment of the EU RDC is based on Article 44 TEU, which gives the EU the possibility to react in defence of its values and interests and also allows third countries to be involved in EU RDC missions where necessary.  The MEPs maintain that the RDC should be financed from the EU budget, provided that the CFSP budget is increased considerably and that the operating expenditure for joint exercises, the costs of ammunition and those related to carrying out live exercises, should be paid from a revised European Peace Facility with an increased budget.

And to cap it all, MEPs call on member states to provide adequate funds and personnel to turn the EU battle group system into a more robust and flexible instrument!

Rapporteur Javi López said:  “This will allow us not only to be a stronger ally within our EU-NATO cooperation framework, but it will also be an important step towards our strategic autonomy and to becoming a real and credible geopolitical actor in an ever-competing world.”
In May 2021, 14 EU Ministers of Defence called on EU foreign policy chief Borrell to develop a proposal for a new EU rapid reaction force to respond to international crises outside the EU. This call to action took shape in the March 2022 Strategic Compass, with its commitment to establish an EU RDC by 2025.

No doubt, but that the outcome of this summer’s National Consultative Forum on Ireland’s security policy will be directed towards facilitating Irish participation in this mini-EU Army.