Key exercise for Article 42.7: attack scenarios and the gaps of European defence

A simulation exercise for the implementation of Article 42.7 is taking place in Brussels, with the aim to examine how the member states of the European Union respond in case of an attack. The results are expected to function as a roadmap for the next steps of the European Union in the field of defence and mutual assistance.

The exercise includes three basic scenarios. The first concerns an attack on an island member state of the EU that is not a member of NATO, a category in which Cyprus, Malta and Ireland fall. The second examines an attack on a country that belongs both to the EU and NATO, so as to assess the interaction of Article 42.7 with Article 5 of the Alliance. The third focuses on a cyberattack and on whether such hybrid threats can be covered by the clause.

Diplomatic contacts of Cyprus continue with the aim of strengthening the relevant European discussion on mutual assistance.

The Cypriot side managed to put the issue on the table, despite the reservations that existed at the European level. The aim is to identify weaknesses and to improve coordination among member states.

Article 42.7 was activated once, after the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015. Then the support to France was organised mainly through bilateral contacts and not through common European mechanisms, a fact that highlighted gaps in the practical planning of the EU.

At the same time, diplomatic contacts of Cyprus continue with the aim of strengthening the relevant European discussion on mutual assistance.

Source: Φιλελεύθερος