NATO

- NATO IS “NORTH ATLANTIC

TREATY ORGANIZATION”
- “THE MOST IMPORTANT PLAYERS
IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY
ORGANIZATION ARE THE
MEMBER COUNTRIES
THEMSELVES.”
- IT IS AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL
MILITARY ALLIANCE BETWEEN 30
MEMBER STATES - 28 EUROPEAN
AND TWO NORTH AMERICAN
COUNTRIES
- IT WAS FOUNDED ON APRIL 4,
1949 IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
UNITED STATES
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has several basic points to follow.
These principles allow the organization to ensure freedom and security of
its members through a variety of means.

A POLITICAL AND MILITARY ALLIANCE

NATO encourages democratic values and allows members to consult and
cooperate on defense and security-related issues to solve problems, build
trust and prevent further possible conflicts.
STRATEGIC CONCEPTS
Strategic concepts contain the organization’s fundamental principles,
tasks, as well as its values. It also includes information on security
environment and strategic objectives for the next decade.

The approach was modified and adapted in 2022 due to current

situation worldwide.
WORKING
STRUCTURE
MAIN ACTIVITIES
DECISIONS AND CONSULTATIONS
All decisions are taken by consensus; therefore, "NATO decision” is the expression of the
collective will of all 30 member countries.

OPERATIONS AND MISSIONS

NATO takes an active role in a broad range of crisis-management operations and missions,
including civil emergency operations (e.g., Kosovo, Support of the African Union).
MAIN ACTIVITIES
PARTNERSHIPS
• NATO partners with 40 non-member countries in order to work on political and
security-related issues.
• These countries contribute to NATO-led operations and cooperate with the Alliance.
• However, partner countries do not have the same decision-making authority as member
countries.
WHAT IT IS
The North Atlantic Council (NAC) is the principal political decision-
making body at NATO.

Representatives of all member countries of NATO have a seat at the NAC.

It can meet at the level of “Permanent Representatives” (or
“Ambassadors”), at the level of foreign and defence ministers, and at the
level of heads of state and government. Its decisions have the same status
and validity at whatever level it meets.
NEGOTIATION PROCESS
All member states have permanent delegations at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

The Secretary General chairs the NAC. In his absence, the Deputy Secretary General
chairs the meetings.

At meetings of foreign ministers, one country's foreign minister assumes the role of
honorary president. The position rotates annually among members in the order of the
English alphabet.
NEGOTIATION PROCESS
Facilitating the process of consultation and consensus decision-making is one of the
NATO Secretary General's main tasks.

It is important to mention that NATO tends to have consultation rather than

negotiations. Negotiation is a process of meetings deliberately convened to reach
agreement on a particular issue. A consultation process is a more open-ended set of
conversations or meetings, with the objective of exchanging ideas and opinions
(without formally coming to an agreement).

The NATO decisions are reached by consultations and consensus.

NEGOTIATION PROCESS
Creating consensus means finding a proposal acceptable enough that all members can
support it, with no member opposing it.

Consensus decision-making means that there is no voting at NATO. Consultations

take place until a decision that is acceptable to all is reached. Sometimes member
countries agree to disagree on an issue. In general, this negotiation process is rapid
since members consult each other on a regular basis; and therefore, often know and
understand each other's positions in advance.
NEGOTIATION PROCESS
Consultations take place on all subjects of interest to the Alliance, including NATO’s
day-to-day business, its core objectives and fundamental role. It gives members the
opportunity to voice opinions and official positions.

There’s the Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty which states that members can bring
any issue of concern, especially related to the security of a member country, for a
discussion within the North Atlantic Council.
NEGOTIATION PROCESS
Permanent Representatives of member countries act basing on instructions from their
capitals. They provide the views and opinions of their governments and inform their
colleagues on policy decisions of their country.

The Representatives report back to their national authorities on the outcomes of

consultation, presenting views and positions expressed by other governments.
NEGOTIATION PROCESS
Each country represented at the Council table maintains sovereignty and
responsibility for its own decisions.

The work of the Council is prepared by subordinate committees that are responsible
for specific areas of policy. Such work also involves the Deputies Committee which
consists of Deputy Permanent Representatives of each member country. The
documents prepared are then provided for Council approval.
NEGOTIATION
PROCESS