In a press release issued to mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Brussels Treaty on 17 March 1948, the Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) emphasises the importance of the residual functions carried out by WEU and its Assembly which have not been transferred to the European Union: their role in ensuring the implementation of the mutual defence clause in the Modified Brussels Treaty and the role of the Assembly as an interparliamentary forum for the European security and defence policy (ESDP).