To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards meeting the EU Headline Goal 2010; and if he will make a statement. (153321)

Good progress is being made towards the Headline Goal 2010. In March 2006 all EU member states responded to the Headline Goal Questionnaire, detailing those forces which potentially could be made available for use on EU led operations. These are currently being assessed against the requirement in terms of both quantity and quality. The Progress Catalogue, due to be published in November, will make clear whether the offered forces are sufficient to meet the requirement and, if there are any deficiencies, will provide an assessment of the military risks associated with them, and the potential impact on the EU’s ability to achieve its level of ambition.