Common European security and defence policy ESDP: rapid reaction facility

The committee adopted the report by William NEWTON-DUNN (ELDR, UK) broadly approving the proposal (under the consultation procedure) subject to a few amendments elaborating the committee's views on the RRF. There was support for giving priority to non-military crisis management. One amendment stressed that the Commission should ensure the integration of the authorities and structures of the country concerned. Another called for the Facility to be supported by a specific and properly trained financial and management implementation cell. The committee also felt that the Commission should have the flexibility to decide the implementation period for any intervention, rather than any intervention being limited to nine months. Finally it proposed that the EU should establish an annual funding limit rather than set a maximum of EUR 12m for each intervention.�