European foreign, security and defence policy: past achievements and new challenges – reply to the annual report of the Council, May 2011

The Assembly of WEU, which had its premises in Paris, was founded in 1954. As the first European interparliamentary assembly for security and defence matters, the Assembly was a forum for debate, initially for the Western European Union.

Following the transfer of WEU´s operational activities to the EU in 2000, it acted as the Interparliamentary European Security and Defence Assembly, focusing on the European Security and Defence Policy and the further development of the European Union´s civil and military crisis-management capabilities.

With the Lisbon Treaty coming into force in 2009 expanding the EU's role and accountability, the European Parliament called for the abolition of the WEU Assembly. In March 2010 it was decided to abolish the entire WEU structure as it duties were largely taken over by the EU. The 60th and final session of the WEU Assembly took place on 9 May 2011.

WEU ceased to exist as a Treaty-based International Organisation on 30 June 2011.

The main website of the Assembly of the WEU is no longer available. A legacy website for the WEU is maintained.

The Historical Archives of the European Union maintain a paper collection of WEU Assembly documents.Heritage reports submitted at the 60th (and final) WEU Assembly in Paris in May 2011. Note the report 'Index of reports of the Assembly (1956-2011)', which lists all reports of the WEU Assembly during its 55 year existence.

Poland’s Presidency of the EU Speakers’ Conference was tasked in May 2011 with setting up the body that will succeed the WEU Assembly and continue its work of interparliamentary scrutiny of European security and defence,