EU defence ministers meet in Brussels later today to review progress towards an EU security and defence policy.
The long-scheduled meeting is to assess latest moves in the campaign against the Taliban and Osama bin Laden - but officials emphasised the meeting was a routine "informal" gathering.
A EU official said: "This is not a crisis meeting on Afghanistan. It is an opportunity to access progress on the EU's common security and defence arm, which of course is being developed alongside NATO".
The talks will range over the roles of national parliaments in setting up for the first time an EU "defence identity", as well as reviewing progress toward a conference on "capability improvement" that will be held in Brussels in December.
The western Balkans and Macedonia are also on the agenda.
