EU drafts defence plan beyond NATO

The European Union is preparing guidance to help Member States understand when and how to activate its mutual assistance clause under Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union.

The initiative comes amid growing uncertainty over transatlantic security, as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned NATO's role, increasing pressure on Europe to strengthen its own defence mechanisms.

According to Euractiv, the European External Action Service is working on a document outlining the resources and procedures available in the event of a threat to a Member State.

Preparations are expected to include simulations of various scenarios, including cases in which NATO’s Article 5, the EU's Article 42.7, or both mechanisms would be triggered simultaneously.

Debate over the clause has intensified following an incident in which Iranian drones struck Cyprus. Despite the attack, Cyprus did not invoke Article 42.7, instead relying on bilateral assistance.

The clause has been used only once, when France activated it after the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.

At the same time, the EU is drafting a new security strategy aimed at defining both the threats it faces and the future direction of its defence policy. It remains unclear whether the strategy will include detailed rules for activating the mutual assistance clause.

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