The Council has adopted a decision confirming Switzerland’s participation in the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) project titled ‘Military Mobility.’ This participation meets the general conditions outlined in Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639 from November 2020 and will significantly enhance the project’s value.
Today’s decision authorises the Netherlands, as the project coordinator, to formally invite Switzerland to join the PESCO project in response to Switzerland’s request from September 2024. Switzerland will become a formal member once an administrative agreement with the project is finalised.
The PESCO project’ Military Mobility’ aims to simplify and standardise national cross-border military transport procedures, facilitating the swift movement of military personnel and assets throughout the EU via road, rail, sea, or air. Canada, Norway, and the United States were invited to join the project in 2021, followed by the United Kingdom in 2022.
PESCO is a key component of the EU Defence Policy. It provides a framework for defence cooperation among the 26 participating EU member states, which have made more binding commitments to one another. Together, they develop defence capabilities, coordinate investments, and enhance their armed forces’ operational readiness, interoperability, and resilience while collaborating on various projects.
