Resolution on the results of the United Nations' session: Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the 21st century. 5th to 9th June 2000

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the establishment of a common European security and defence policy with a view to the Feira summit. It stressed the importance of resolving crises first by non-military means, and noted that the Union already has several instruments for non-military crisis prevention and management, including financial instruments and preventive diplomacy, and the Conflict Prevention Network. These resources are not always sufficient, and Parliament welcomed the Commission's initiatives for the development of a non-military crisis management unit based on a rapid reaction facility with adequate budgetary funding, and a crisis coordination unit within the Commission. The proliferation of situation centres, crisis-management units and committees in Brussels should be avoided and minimal structures need to be established, that are designed to facilitate decisions by the international community. These measures should be supplemented by the establishment of major common objectives (headline goals) as a counterpart to those set in the military field. Parliament called for the setting of a headline goal concerning the establishment of of a common European public security force that can be deployed in law and order operations for which military units are not suited. On the development of military assets and capabilities, Parliament supports the idea of a rapid reaction force of 50000 to 60000 men that can be mobilised within 60 days and deployed for a period of one year. Member States must make provision for the necessary funds for the Common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP). An increase in the defence budgets of some Member States cannot be completely ruled out. The CESDP, by acting as a complement to the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) will enable the Union gradually to assume greater responsibilities and provide a better balance within the Atlantic Alliance. With regard to the establishment of decision-making structures, Parliament approved the establishment of the interim Political and Security Committee and interim Military Body and called for the definitive bodies to be established as soon as possible, and for the capabilities still available to the WEU to be swiftly transferred to the European Union. The decision-making process of the two organisations should be simplified. Parliament regrets that there is no parliamentary dimension in the CESDP, and points out the democratic deficit in this regard. It suggests ways in which this could be rectified.�