Western European Union, WEU
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 does no longer play a role.
In the Brussels Treaty, Article 5 relates to the WEU, referring to an automatic mutual defence obligation.
The Lisbon Treaty has a clause of solidarity in terms of terror and a mutual defence obligation in Article 42,7 TEU – not as automatic as the one in WEU.
Links
See also Associated members and partners of WEU, Common Security and Defence Policy, NATO, Neutrality, Solidarity clause, Brussels treaty.
WEU's website: http://www.weu.int/