The United Kingdom, as part of the European Union, contributes part of its armed forces to the EU Battlegroup scheme. This scheme puts a battlegroup composed of elements from one or more EU member states at the disposal of the European Council to be deployed as required. As one of the larger EU members, the United Kingdom contributes to two individual battlegroups. One of these is made up entirely of British forces, while the other has the UK as the "framework" (i.e. lead) nation in the formation, in conjunction with forces from the Netherlands. The Netherlands also contributes to a second battlegroup, alongside Germany and Finland.