Western European Union

Organization established in 1955 as a consultative forum for military issues among the Western European governments. In 2001 its members were Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, the UK, Germany, Spain and Portugal (from 1990), and Greece (from 1995). The Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, and Turkey were associate members.

Policy is agreed during meetings of the foreign ministers of the member nations, with administrative work carried out by a permanent secretariat and specialist committees. The WEU is charged under its charter with ensuring close cooperation with NATO. However, the European Council meeting at Cologne, Germany, in June 1999, agreed that the European Union should be given responsibility for many of the military crisis management activities previously the remit of the WEU.