4.13: Decision-Making
Other Information:
Decision-making procedures. There is an inherent tension between a multimember organisation that works by consensus and a
military/political Alliance operating in a fluid and fast-paced security environment. This tension has not been diminished
by NATO's larger membership or by the proliferation of its committees. In 2009, the Secretary General put forward some initial
ideas for streamlining the decision-making process. The challenge for Alliance leaders will be to identify further steps that
do not, in themselves, become a source of division. The consensus rule has always been a fundamental principle in NATO and
Allies are strongly attached to its preservation. However, the need to achieve agreement among twenty-eight states (and more
in the future) can prove arduous, sometimes leading to delays that serve no constructive purpose. In addition, the Alliance
needs to prepare for situations where rapid (indeed almost instantaneous) decision-making may be required. Recommendations:
1. In his proposals for administrative reform, the Secretary General is encouraged to include further proposals for streamlining
the decision-making process. These proposals should: 1) recognize that any departure from the consensus principle must be
approved by the NAC; 2) preserve the consensus rule for the most important decisions such as those involving Article 5 commitments,
budgets, new missions, or new members; 3) identify means on less vital questions for Allies to register concerns short of
a veto; and 4) establish the principle that the implementation of decisions arrived at by consensus should not be delayed
by efforts to review those decisions at lower levels before they are carried out.
Indicator(s):
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