Rapid Reaction Force

: (Photo: Notat)

This idea of a single armed force for all of Europe has been floated for years. The first solid proposals for a European army came at the Helsinki Summit in December 1999. The creation of a Rapid Reaction Force was finally agreed by the EU’s defence ministers in February 2000, who re-affirmed their commitment to the formation of a 60,000-strong force by 2003. This Rapid Reaction Force is intended to work alongside NATO as a complimentary force. Its strongest supporter is France who has been pushing for an independent European Army. Other Member States worry about upsetting the Americans through a possible split of the NATO alliance.

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