Date: 2025-12-16Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/2579 of 15 December 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639 establishing the general conditions under which third States could exceptionally be invited to participate in individual PESCO projects
**Executive Summary**
This document is Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/2579 of 15 December 2025. It amends Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639 to extend the deadline for third-state entities to participate in PESCO projects under existing contracts. The decision enters into force on the date of its adoption.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639:**
* Article 7(2)(a) is replaced, extending the deadline for entity involvement in PESCO project implementation.
* Entities may participate in PESCO projects after 31 December 2030 based on contracts concluded or procurement procedures launched by that date.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Third-State Entities**
* *Impact:* Enables continued involvement in PESCO projects beyond the original 31 December 2025 deadline.
* *Action Required:* Ensure contracts or procurement procedures are initiated before 31 December 2030 to maintain eligibility for participation.
**Stakeholder: EU Member States Participating in PESCO**
* *Impact:* Allows for continued collaboration with third-state entities in PESCO projects, potentially enhancing project capabilities and resource availability.
* *Action Required:* Update internal procedures and project plans to reflect the extended participation deadline for third-state entities.
Key Entities Referenced
PESCO: Permanent Structured Cooperation. Projects mentioned throughout the document.
Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639: Council Decision establishing the general conditions under which third States could exceptionally be invited to participate in individual PESCO projects.
Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2315: Council Decision establishing permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) and determining the list of participating Member States
Brussels: Location where the decision was made.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/2579 16.12.2025
COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2025/2579
of 15 December 2025
amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639 establishing the general conditions under which third States
could exceptionally be invited to participate in individual PESCO projects
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 46(6) thereof,
Having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2315 of 11 December 2017 establishing permanent structured
cooperation (PESCO) and determining the list of participating Member States(1), and in particular Article 4(2), point (g),
thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
(1) On 5 November 2020, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639(2)establishing the general conditions under
which third States could exceptionally be invited to participate in individual PESCO projects.
(2) Article 7(2)(a) of that Decision provides that entities may only be involved in the implementation of PESCO projects
after 31 December 2025 on the basis of contracts concluded or procurement procedures launched before that date.
(3) In the interest of the continued implementation of PESCO projects, it is necessary to amend those provisions to
allow entities to be involved in the implementation of PESCO projects until 31 December 2030,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
In Article 7(2) of Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639, point (a) is replaced by the following:
‘(a) entities may be involved in the implementation of PESCO projects after 31 December 2030 only on the basis of
contracts concluded or procurement procedures launched by that date.’.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 15 December 2025.
For the Council
The President
K. KALLAS
(1) OJ L 331, 14.12.2017, p. 57, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2017/2315/oj.
(2) Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639 of 5 November 2020 establishing the general conditions under which third States could
exceptionally be invited to participate in individual PESCO projects (OJ L 371, 6.11.2020, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/
2020/1639/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2579/oj 1/1