Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC ) ( Euro - Atlantic Partnership Council, EAPC ) is an initiative of the United States on 30 May 1997 in Sintra ( Portugal), was established in Cooperation with the aim of closer political and military cooperation between the 50 Member States at the time of East and West ( including all 28 NATO countries and 22 central and eastern European states of the former Warsaw Pact, but also some neutral countries ). Except for the seven geographically small countries: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican and Cyprus all OSCE member states are involved.

The organization was created in response to the power expansion of NATO after the Cold War ended and aims to strengthen the cooperation with the not yet entered in the NATO countries. The Partnership has replaced the existing since December 1991 North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC ) and to the general confidence building and the strengthening of cooperation on arms control and peacekeeping missions serve. At ambassadorial level monthly meetings held in Brussels, semi- annual meeting of foreign and defense ministers are provided.