EU to game out bloc’s mutual assistance clause in case of attack
politico.eu • • world
Key Points:
- The EU will conduct its first "tabletop" exercise next month to simulate the bloc's response under Article 42.7, its mutual assistance clause, focusing on political rather than military actions.
- Article 42.7 obliges EU members to aid a member state facing "armed aggression," but it does not explicitly mandate military intervention, accommodating neutral countries like Austria and Ireland.
- The exercise, led by chief diplomat Kaja Kallas, aims to clarify how the clause would function practically, especially given increased security concerns after incidents like drone attacks on Cyprus.
- Transatlantic tensions and doubts about NATO's Article 5, particularly under President Trump's administration, have heightened EU interest in strengthening its own security mechanisms.
- So far, Article 42.7 has been invoked only once, by France after the 2015 ISIS attacks, and the EU is preparing further guidance and possibly a clearer military command structure to make the clause more operational.
