The European Union flags flutter in front of EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 12, 2012. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)

BRUSSELS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) foreign and defense ministers agreed to establish a command center for the planning and conduct of EU's overseas missions, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Monday.

"We are progressing steadily towards strengthened defense cooperation and we will continue to do more. The European Union has unique tools to help Europeans to take more responsibility for their own security, and to do more effectively," Mogherini told media after a ministerial meeting.

"Today we decided to establish a military planning and conduct capability (MPCC) which will command the EU's non-executive military missions," she said.

According to EU's statement, the MPCC will operate within the existing EU Military Staff of the European External Action Service and it will command the EU's military training missions in Somalia, in Central Africa and in Mali.

"This will allow the mission commanders in the field to concentrate on the specific activities of their mission, with better support provided from Brussels," the statement said.

The MPCC will work under the the EU Political and Security Committee, which is composed of EU member states' ambassadors and is based in Brussels.