The conclusions reaffirm PESCO’s role as a pivotal framework for deepening defence cooperation among participating member states. They underline the continued relevance of PESCO’s principles while emphasising the need for modernisation to reflect new EU defence initiatives, particularly the Strategic Compass.
Key recommendations include revising and streamlining the current 20 binding commitments. These commitments are expected to focus on critical areas such as defence spending, capability development, industrial cooperation, and operational readiness, with an emphasis on measurable goals to improve transparency and accountability.
The review advocates closer alignment between PESCO and EU funding instruments like the European Defence Fund and the proposed European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP). Updated commitments aim to strengthen the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), guided by the Capability Development Plan and EU Capability Development Priorities.
PESCO projects are encouraged to address strategic capability gaps, including those relevant to high-intensity warfare. Collaborative opportunities identified through the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) are to be prioritised for efficient resource utilisation.
Highlighting the EU’s commitment to Ukraine, the conclusions stress integrating Ukraine into EU defence initiatives. Following the EU-Ukraine joint security commitments of June 2024, the review recommends facilitating Ukraine’s participation in PESCO projects within existing legal frameworks. This step aims to support Ukraine’s military needs and progressively integrate its defence industrial base into the EDTIB.
The PESCO Secretariat has been tasked with enhancing its role in overseeing these initiatives. Additionally, the High Representative has been invited to propose amendments to PESCO’s legal framework by May 2025 to ensure alignment with the updated strategic objectives.
Launched in December 2017, PESCO represents a transformative step in EU defence cooperation, involving 26 member states and 66 collaborative projects. It aims to boost military capability development, interoperability, and operational readiness across land, sea, air, and cyber domains.
