Ursula von der Leyen proposed creating an analogue of NATO Article 4 in the EU

Brief retelling from RIA II

The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed creating the European Union's own emergency response mechanism to security threats, similar to Article 4 of the NATO North Atlantic Treaty.

Von der Leyen said it was necessary to reach consensus on how to respond to incidents that do not reach the level of armed aggression, but threaten national security.

The head of the EC also announced plans to propose a new European security strategy and create a European mechanism for responding to hybrid threats.

BRUSSELS, September 16 - RIA Novosti. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed creating the European Union's own emergency response mechanism to security threats, similar to Article 4 of NATO's North Atlantic Treaty, speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty provides for consultations between allies if, in the opinion of one of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any NATO member state is threatened.

"We urgently need to reach a consensus on how to respond to certain incidents that do not rise to the level of armed aggression, but clearly threaten our national security. In other words, a mechanism that would complement NATO's Article 4. I believe the time has come for Europe's own 'Article 4' - an emergency security protocol," von der Leyen said.

She also said that, together with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, she would propose a new European security strategy.