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| Coordinated Annual Review on Defence | |
|---|---|
| Name | Coordinated Annual Review on Defence |
| Abbreviation | CARD |
| Established | 2016 |
| Jurisdiction | European Union |
| Parent agency | European External Action Service |
Coordinated Annual Review on Defence The Coordinated Annual Review on Defence is an annual process for assessing capability development and coordination among European Union member states, intended to enhance strategic planning and industrial cooperation across NATO partners and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. It links capability priorities from institutions such as the European Defence Agency, the European Commission, and the European Council with national planning cycles in capitals like Berlin, Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Warsaw. The review draws on inputs from ministries such as the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), the Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, and the Ministère des Armées to inform longer-term initiatives led by agencies including the European Investment Bank and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Defence Planning Committee.
The process convenes representatives from member states, the European External Action Service, the European Defence Agency, the European Commission, and relevant bodies including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the United Nations to map capability shortfalls and synergies. It produces outputs that intersect with programmes such as the Permanent Structured Cooperation, the European Defence Fund, and multinational projects like the Lancaster House Treaties initiatives and the Eurofighter Typhoon cooperation. CARD seeks to align national capability development with priorities identified in strategies such as the EU Global Strategy, the NATO 2030 agenda, and the Lisbon Treaty framework.
CARD emerged after debates at summits including the 2016 European Council (June) and discussions among defence ministers at meetings in Brussels and Warsaw, building on precedents like the Capability Development Mechanism and the European Defence Agency’s earlier reviews. Its design reflects lessons from collaborative programmes such as the Joint Expeditionary Force and the Weimar Triangle consultations, and draws institutional inspiration from mechanisms used by NATO and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Key milestones include pilot phases coordinated by the European Defence Agency and endorsements by the European Council and the Foreign Affairs Council.
CARD's stated objectives include identifying duplications across national plans, enhancing cooperation on projects exemplified by the A400M Atlas programme and the NH90 helicopter initiative, and informing investment priorities linked to instruments such as the European Defence Fund and bilateral agreements like the Treaty of Aachen. Its scope spans capability areas found in reference documents like the Capabilities Development Plan and the EU Capability Development Priorities, covering domains influenced by platforms such as the F-35 Lightning II procurement debates, the Common Security and Defence Policy operations, and industrial policies affecting firms like Airbus, MBDA, and Thales.
CARD uses a cyclical methodology combining national questionnaires submitted by ministries such as the Ministry of Defence (France), data analysis by the European Defence Agency, and validation dialogues involving defence attachés from capitals including Lisbon, Athens, Helsinki, and Stockholm. The process incorporates lessons from exercises like the Defence Capability Gap Analysis and leverages databases maintained by institutions including the European Commission and the NATO Defence Planning Process. Outputs are synthesized into reports and recommendations discussed in forums such as the Foreign Affairs Council and bilateral talks with states engaged in initiatives like the European Intervention Initiative.
CARD reports have repeatedly highlighted shortfalls in areas exemplified by the need for air mobility seen in the Operation Barkhane logistics debates, maritime capabilities linked to incidents in the Mediterranean Sea, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance gaps related to operations in Mali and Iraq, and interoperability challenges underscored by exercises like Trident Juncture. The review has identified opportunities for multinational procurement resembling the 1st Armoured Division cooperation models and interoperability measures akin to the Single European Sky discussions, and has flagged industrial consolidation pressures affecting companies such as BAE Systems and Leonardo S.p.A..
Findings from CARD have influenced decisions in policy venues such as the European Council and implementation through instruments like the European Defence Fund and projects under Permanent Structured Cooperation. Member states have used CARD outputs to justify investments similar to acquisitions of assets like the A400M Atlas and to coordinate collective support for operations involving the European Union Military Staff and bilateral partnerships with United States Department of Defense counterparts. CARD has also shaped agendas at defence industry events attended by stakeholders from Dassault Aviation, Rheinmetall, and Saab AB.
Critics argue CARD faces limitations noted in debates at the European Parliament and analyses by think tanks such as the European Council on Foreign Relations and the Royal United Services Institute, citing issues like voluntary compliance among member states, variable data quality from capitals such as Budapest and Prague, and tensions between national procurement sovereignty and collective programmes like the Permanent Structured Cooperation. Additional challenges mirror concerns raised during negotiations over the European Defence Fund and include industrial competition among firms such as Airbus Defence and Space and MBDA as well as strategic divergences highlighted in summit discussions at Cannes and Sibiu.
Category:European Union security and defence policy