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Western European Union

A meeting of the WEU in Marseille (Photo: French Presidency Web-site)

A defence agreement dating from 1948, originally signed by the UK, France and the Benelux countries. Under the Treaty of Maastricht, the WEU was envisaged as the defence component of the EU.

Following the introduction of the Petersberg-Tasks of the WEU into the Treaty of Amsterdam and the ongoing development of a Common Security and Defence Policy, the WEU will no longer play a role.

In the Brussels Treaty, Article 5 relates to the WEU, referring to an automatic mutual defence obligation.

The future

The proposed EU-Constitution has a clause of solidarity in terms of terror in art. I-43 and III-329.1. However, it does not contain a mutual defence obligation as in the Western European Union.

Links

See also Common Security and Defence Policy, NATO, Neutrality, Solidarity clause, Brussels treaty.

WEU's website: http://www.weu.int/