JEF is a British-led quick-response force intended to be able to act independently or as part of a UN, NATO or EU operation in the event of a crisis, with a focus on northern Europe.
JEK was initiated by the United Kingdom in 2014 and also comprises Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
During the ministerial meeting on 30 June–1 July, ministers from the JEF member states signed the JEF Policy Direction document, which provides an overarching policy framework for the JEF and sets key principles for cooperation, such as the principal geographic area of interest for the JEF being the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea region.
The meeting also included a table-top exercise where the participating ministers were faced with a fictional scenario requiring joint action.
