The informal meeting held in Brussels among the EU Defence Ministers confirmed the EU's commitment and its unique position as a security provider in a context of financial austerity and a changing strategic environment. Ministers also endorsed the European Defence Agency’s work so far, and took action signing a Political Declaration indicating that Pooling & Sharing efforts in Air-to-Air Refuelling should get underway.
 

The Informal Defence Ministers meeting ended with the agreement of working towards a sustained policy of military capabilities. In 2010, Ministers already call for cooperation to develop European military capability. Although the EU is achieving significant progress in the pooling & sharing of military capabilities, Air-to-Air Refuelling has been identified as a vital capability gap for European forces, a fact that was brought home by the Libya campaign. Therefore, Ministers signed a Political Declaration indicating that Pooling & Sharing efforts in Air-to-Air Refuelling should get underway, facilitated by the European Defence Agency.

Ministers also discussed the longer-term multinational military capability development, including the need to continue to invest in innovation and the capabilities of the future, to pursue synergies with European policies and in particular in the field of Research and Technology. There was also a ministerial-level consensus that further progress is required on harmonizing regulation, and called for further discussion of the role of financial incentives and opportunities to reinvest all or part of the savings realized through Pooling & Sharing initiatives.

The EU delegations also took note of the progress achieved on the development of a cooperative project to provide field hospitals. Thirteen ministers signed a Declaration of Intent to establish Multinational Modular Medical Units. Another key decision was the approval of two new projects: the Go Green project that looks for innovative ways to reduce the use of fossil fuels, potentially by employing solar panels, and the launch of the EU Battle Group Logistic Services Pilot Case. These cooperative pilot projects will help Member States save money and increase capabilities.