North Atlantic Council

The North Atlantic Council ( english North Atlantic Council , NAC ), based in Brussels (Belgium) is the main decision-making body of NATO , with political authority and decision-making power. It deals with all areas of alliance policy, with the exception of defense planning and nuclear policy. From April 1952 to 1959 the seat was in and around the Palais de Chaillot and from December 1959 to 1967 in Porte Dauphine in Paris . The first meeting of the North Atlantic Council took place on September 17, 1949 in Washington, DC , USA.

Members

The North Atlantic Council is composed of the permanent representatives (in the rank of ambassadors ) from all member states. It is the only body in which political questions of the alliance are decided, while the NATO Military Committee is the leading body for all military questions. At the level of the foreign ministers and defense ministers there are biannual meetings, at the level of the heads of government meetings take place about every two years.

Work organization

The permanent representatives of the Allies meet at least once a week. The weekly meetings discuss all aspects of NATO's work, current issues and the reports and recommendations of the subcommittees. The deliberations on foreign policy issues are not limited to the confines of the Alliance.

The North Atlantic Council is supported by a political and military staff. Committees and expert groups do the preparatory work for the decisions. In addition to a number of political committees, there are, among others, the Defense Review Committee, the Committee on Civil and Military Budgets, the Security Committee, the Air Defense Committee, the Committee on Telecommunications and Information Systems, the Review Committee on Conventional Armaments, the Infrastructure Committee, the Economic Committee, and the Information Committee and cultural relations, the science committee, the environment committee, and the committee on the tasks of modern society. In addition, there are various bodies such as the standardization group, the working groups for conventional disarmament, the conference of national armaments experts, the logistics conference, and groups that are formed to deal with current problems.

At the level of the foreign and defense ministers there are biannual meetings, at the level of the heads of state and government the summits take place approximately every two years.

Internal criticism

In connection with the Kosovo war - in the NATO letter in spring 2002 - for the first time clear internal criticism of the dominance of the USA and the resulting significantly restricted role of the North Atlantic Council in decision-making was voiced. As a result, the air strikes against Yugoslavia were not planned in the Supreme Headquarters of NATO in Europe ( SHAPE ), but in the American headquarters for the European command area. The then NATO commander in chief, General Wesley Clark , relied on a small group of officers in his decisions , almost all of whom belonged to the American headquarters. The multinational approval of the NATO Military Committee and the North Atlantic Council was only obtained in retrospect.

Extraordinary meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels (selection)

March 2, 2014 and March 4, 2014 - Reason: Occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea by Russian forces . ( see Crimean crisis 2014)
Oct. 03, 2012 - Reason: Shelling of Turkey from Syria.
Jun. 26, 2012 - Reason: A Turkish fighter plane shot down through Syria.
July 9, 2008
February 9, 2005
April 3, 2003
February 21, 2001

Summit of the heads of state and government of the NATO member states

NATO summit in Lisbon, Portugal, November 2010

NATO summit in November 2002 in Prague (Czech Republic)

Demonstration during the NATO summit in Istanbul in June 2004

NATO summit in April 1999 in Washington (USA)

The heads of state and government of the NATO member states have been taking part in NATO summits since 1949:

3rd and 4th December 2019 in London
July 11th and 12th 2018 in Brussels (Belgium)
July 8th and 9th, 2016 in Warsaw (Poland)
September 4th and 5th, 2014 in Newport (Great Britain)
May 15-22, 2012 in Chicago (USA)
November 19-20, 2010 in Lisbon (Portugal)
April 3 to 4, 2009 in Baden-Baden , Kehl (both Germany) and Strasbourg (France)
April 2-4, 2008 in Bucharest (Romania)
November 28 and 29, 2006 in Riga (Latvia)
February 22, 2005 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
June 28 and 29, 2004 in Istanbul (Turkey)
November 21 and 22, 2002 in Prague (Czech Republic)
May 28, 2002 in Rome (Italy)
June 13, 2001 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
April 22-25, 1999 in Washington (USA)
8 and 9 July 1997 in Madrid (Spain), see: NATO Summit in Madrid 1997
May 27, 1997 in Paris (France)
January 10 and 11, 1994 in Brussels (Belgium) - Partnership for Peace
7 and 8 November 1991 in Rome (Italy) - Declaration on Peace and Cooperation, New Strategic Concept, Introduction of the NATO Cooperation Council (NAKR)
July 5 and 6, 1990 in London (Great Britain) - "London Declaration" at the end of the Cold War, President Manfred Wörner: "Our Alliance is moving from confrontation to cooperation"
December 4, 1989 in Brussels (Belgium)
May 29 and 30, 1989 in Brussels (Belgium)
March 2nd and 3rd, 1988 in Brussels (Belgium)
November 21, 1985 in Brussels (Belgium)
June 9 and 10, 1982 in Bonn (Federal Republic of Germany)
May 30 and 31, 1978 in Washington, DC (USA)
May 10 and 11, 1977 in London (Great Britain)
May 29 and 30, 1975 in Brussels (Belgium)
June 26, 1974 in Brussels (Belgium)
December 16-19, 1957 in Paris (France)
September 17, 1949 in Washington (USA) (founding summit)

Meeting of NATO Defense Ministers

Conference of NATO Foreign and Defense Ministers in October 2010 at NATO Headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)

Conference of NATO Defense Ministers in Nice, France, February 2005

Conference of NATO Defense Ministers in Brașov (Romania) in October 2004

Since 2010

June 29, 2017 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
10/11 February 2016 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
October 8, 2015 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
24./25. June 2015 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
February 5, 2015 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
3rd / 4th June 2014 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
26./27. February 2014 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
22./23. October 2013 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
4th / 5th June 2013 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
21./22. February 2013 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
9/10 October 2012 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
2nd / 3rd February 2012 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
5th / 6th October 2011 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
8/9 June 2011 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
10/11 March 2011 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
14./15. October 2010 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
10/11 June 2010 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
4th / 5th February 2010 in Istanbul (Turkey)

2000-2009

22./23. October 2009 in Bratislava (Slovakia)
11./12. June 2009 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
19./20. February 2009 in Krakow (Poland)
9/10 October 2008 in Budapest (Hungary)
18./19. September 2008 in London (Great Britain)
12./13. June 2008 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
7th / 8th February 2008 in Vilnius (Lithuania)
24./25. October 2007 in Noordwijk (Netherlands)
14./15. June 2007 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
8/9 February 2007 in Seville (Spain)
28/29 September 2006 in Portorož (Slovenia)
June 8, 2006 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
9/10 February 2006 in Taormina (Italy)
13./14. September 2005 in Berlin (Germany)
9/10 June 2005 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
9/10 February 2005 in Nice (France)
13./14. October 2004 in Brașov (Kronstadt) (Romania)
February 6, 2004 in Munich (Germany)
1./2. December 2003 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
8/9 September 2003 in Colorado Springs (USA)
12./13. June 2003 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
24./25. September 2002 in Warsaw (Poland)
6./7. June 2002 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
18./19. December 2001 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
September 26, 2001 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
7th / 8th June 2001 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
5th / 6th December 2000 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
10/11 October 2000 in Birmingham (Great Britain)
8/9 June 2000 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)

1990-1999

2nd / 3rd December 1999 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
21./22. September 1999 in Toronto (Canada)
June 18, 1999 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
17./18. December 1998 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
24./25. September 1998 in Vilamoura (Portugal)
11./12. June 1998 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
2nd / 3rd December 1997 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
1./2. October 1997 in Maastricht (Netherlands)
12./13. June 1997 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
17./18. December 1996 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
25./26. September 1996 in Bergen (Norway)
13./14. June 1996 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 5, 1995 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
28/29 November 1995 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
5th / 6th October 1995 in Williamsburg (USA)
8/9 June 1995 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 14, 1994 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
September 29, 1994 in Seville (Spain)
May 25, 1994 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 8, 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
May 25, 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
March 29, 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 11, 1992 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
25./26. May 1992 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
March 31 to April 1, 1992 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
May 28, 1991 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
5th / 6th December 1990 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
May 23, 1990 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)

Before 1990

November 28, 1989 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
May 22, 1986 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 12, 1979 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 7, 1976 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 2, 1970 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
April 6, 1967 in Washington, DC (USA)
December 14, 1966 at NATO headquarters in Paris (France)
May 4, 1962 in Athens (Greece)

Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers

Since 2010

March 31, 2017 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
1./2. December 2015 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
13./14. May 2015 in Antalya (Turkey)
December 2, 2014 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
24./25. June 2014 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
1./2. April 2014 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
3rd / 4th December 2013 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
April 23, 2013 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
4th / 5th December 2012 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
18./19. April 2012 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
7th / 8th December 2011 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
14./15. April 2011 in Berlin (Germany)
14./15. October 2010 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
22./23. April 2010 in Tallinn (Estonia)

2000-2009

3rd / 4th December 2009 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
March 5, 2009 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
2nd / 3rd December 2008 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
August 18, 2008 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
March 6, 2008 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
6./7. December 2007 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
26./27. April 2007 in Oslo (Norway)
January 26, 2007 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
September 21, 2006 in New York City (USA)
27./28. April 2006 in Sofia (Bulgaria)
December 8, 2005 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
20./21. April 2005 in Vilnius (Lithuania)
8/9 December 2004 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
April 2, 2004 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
4th / 5th December 2003 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
3rd / 4th June 2003 in Madrid (Spain)
14./15. May 2002 in Reykjavík (Iceland)
6./7. December 2001 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
29./30. May 2001 in Budapest (Hungary)
14./15. December 2000 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
24./25. May 2000 in Florence (Italy)

1990-1999

15./16. December 1999 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
June 18, 1999 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
April 12, 1999 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
8/9 December 1998 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
11./12. June 1998 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
28/29 May 1998 in Luxembourg
16./17. December 1997 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
September 26, 1997 in New York City (USA)
29./30. May 1997 in Sintra (Portugal)
February 18, 1997 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
10/11 December 1996 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
3rd / 4th June 1996 in Berlin (Germany)
December 5, 1995 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
30./31. May 1995 in Noordwijk (Netherlands)
December 1, 1994 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
October 19, 1994 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
9/10 June 1994 in Istanbul (Turkey)
December 14, 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
2nd / 3rd December 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
August 9, 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
August 2, 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
10/11 June 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
April 2, 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
February 26, 1993 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
17./18. September 1992 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
4th / 5th June 1992 in Oslo (Norway)
May 21, 1992 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
March 10, 1992 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 19, 1991 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
19. – 21. August 1991 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
June 6, 1991 in Copenhagen (Denmark)
December 17, 1990 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
October 3, 1990 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
September 10, 1990 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
August 10, 1990 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
June 7, 1990 in Turnberry (Scotland, Great Britain)
May 3, 1990 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)

Before 1990

December 14, 1989 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
June 9, 1988 in Spain (Madrid)
December 11, 1987 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 11, 1986 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
May 29, 1986 in Halifax (Canada)
May 31, 1984 in Washington, DC (USA)
December 8, 1983 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 10, 1981 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
11./12. December 1980 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
December 12, 1979 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels (Belgium)
October 1977 in Bari (Italy)
May 20, 1976 in Oslo (Norway)
May 30, 1972 in Bonn (Federal Republic of Germany)
December 2, 1970 in Brussels (Belgium)
April 10, 1969 in Washington, DC (USA)
June 24, 1968 in Reykjavík (Iceland)
December 13, 1967 in Brussels (Belgium)
May 4, 1962 in Athens (Greece)
December 13, 1961 at NATO headquarters in Paris (France)
December 15, 1959 at NATO headquarters in Paris (France)
2nd / 3rd May 1957 in Bonn (Federal Republic of Germany)
May 4, 1956 at the NATO headquarters in Paris (France)
February 20, 1952 in Lisbon (Portugal)
September 20, 1951 in Ottawa (Canada)
September 17, 1949 in Washington, DC (USA)

Web links

North Atlantic Council in the NATO Handbook ( Memento from May 31, 2001 in the Internet Archive )

Individual evidence

↑ Guillaume Parmentier: The Renewal of the Alliance , In: NATO Brief Spring 2002 No. 1. Accessed May 17, 2009.
↑ Turkey admits violation of Syria's airspace. Retrieved July 21, 2012 .
↑ https://www.dw.com/de/friedliches-ende-des-nato-gipfels/a-51535136

[1] Guillaume Parmentier: The Renewal of the Alliance , In: NATO Brief Spring 2002 No. 1. Accessed May 17, 2009.

[2] Turkey admits violation of Syria's airspace. Retrieved July 21, 2012 .

[3] ttps://www.dw.com/de/friedliches-ende-des-nato-gipfels/a-51535136