A joint declaration after the summit said this tactical group would be drawn from the existing Franco-German Brigade and "would be open to other contributions, mainly from the nations involved in Eurocorps".

Troops from Eurocorps, which was set up in the 1990s, are currently leading the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.

The declaration said that planning for the new "battle group" had already begun.

"France and Germany play an important role as a catalyst for the development of Europe's capacity in the rapid reaction to crises," the statement added.

"They will therefore continue with determination to develop the Franco-German Brigade to make it the core of an 'initial entry force' for the European Union and NATO, principally within the framework of Eurocorps.

"Our two countries underline that the concept of tactical groupings and the NATO rapid reaction force are complementary and reinforce each other."

Ten "battle groups" are in the process of being set up across the European Union. The aim is that each will be able to deploy 1,500 troops within 15 days to trouble spots.