Division 1 Participating Member States remain at the center of the decision making process while coordinating with the High Representative

PESCO is a framework driven by participating Member States and remains primarily within their remit. Transparency is ensured for non-participating EU Member States.

To ensure a proper coordination of PESCO with the overall common security and defence policy (CSDP), of which it is an integral part, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will be fully involved in proceedings relating to PESCO. The High Representative will be in charge of managing the annual assessment called for by the European Council and laid out in part 4 below. The EEAS, including the EU Military Staff (EUMS), and the EDA will ensure the Secretariat of the PESCO in close coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS) Deputy Secretary General on CSDP and Crisis Response.

In accordance with the TEU, Article 3 of Protocol 10 and the Council Decision establishing the European Defence Agency, the EDA will support the High representative as regards the capability development aspects of PESCO. The EEAS will support the High Representative, in particular on the operational aspects of PESCO, including through the EU Military Staff and other CSDP structures.

It is noted that according to Art 41 (1) of the TEU the ‘administrative expenditure to which the implementation of this Chapter gives rise for the institutions shall be charged to the Union budget’.