Official Journal of the European Union 13.6.2007 Il (Acts adopted under the EU Treaty) ACTS ADOPTED UNDER TITLE V OF THE EU TREATY COUNCIL DECISION 2007/384/CFSP of 14 May 2007 establishing a mechanism to administer the financing of the common costs of European Union operations having military or defence implications (Athena) (codified version) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particu- lar Articles 13(3) and 28(3) thereof, Whereas: () O] L 63, 28.2.2004, 2007/91/CFSP (O] L 41, 13.2.2007, p. 11). Council Decision 2004/197|CESP of 23 February 2004 establishing a mechanism to administer the financing of the common costs of European Union operations having military or defence implications (‘) has been substantially amended several times (3. In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Decision should be codified. The European Council, meeting in Helsinki on 10 and 11 December 1999, agreed in particular that, coop- erating voluntarily in EU-led operations, Member States must be able by 2003 to deploy within 60 days, and sustain for at least one year, military forces of up to 50 000 to 60 000 persons, capable of the full range of Petersberg tasks. On 17 June 2002, the Council approved Document 10155/02 on the financing of EU-led crisis-management operations having military or defence implications. p. 68. Decision as last amended by Decision () See Annex V. 4 ) The Council in its conclusions of 14 May 2003 confirmed the need for a rapid reaction capability, in par- ticular for humanitarian and rescue tasks. The European Council, meeting in Thessaloniki on 19 and 20 June 2003, welcomed the conclusions of the Council meeting on 19 May 2003, which in particular confirmed the need for a European Union military rapid reaction capability. On 22 September 2003, the Council decided that the European Union should acquire the flexible capacity for managing the financing of common costs of military operations of any scale, complexity or urgency, in par- ticular by setting up, by 1 March 2004, a permanent financing mechanism to assume charge of the financing of common costs of any future Union military operation. The EU Military Committee defined in detail the concept of EU Military Rapid Response in its Report of 3 March 2004. It further defined the EU Battle Groups concept on 14 June 2004. The European Council on 17 June 2004 endorsed a Report on ESDP which underlined that work on EU Rapid Response capacities should be taken forward with a view to an initial operational capability by early 2005.