The European Union has established a Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) framework with the goal of raising cooperation between EU member states to a new level. PESCO doesn't replace NATO but is intended to provide a "coherent full spectrum of defense capabilities available to member states for national and multinational [EU, NATO, United Nations] missions and operations," according to the PESCO charter. "This will enhance the EU's capacity as an international security actor, contribute to the protection of the EU citizens and maximize the effectiveness of defense spending." The PESCO organization was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty on European Union and established by the European Council in 2017. Twenty-five EU member states have joined PESCO and agreed to "binding commitments to invest, plan, develop and operate defense capabilities more together, within the Union framework," the PESCO website states.
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