Well, as you know the procedures for the use of NATO forces to help companies are under development and are not yet decided upon, but the concept of helping companies from NATO countries in a crisis is not a new one.  This has been part of a national defence strategy for many years.  Since NATO has adapted an out-of-area concept it has to be ready to protect member states and subsidiaries, including some national companies, in extreme circumstances.  This has to be done of course in collusion with the government of the state in question and only if the country in question is unable to provide security on its own.  The Rapid Reaction forces are not forces meant to be in an area fighting a prolonged war but meant to be used in case of an emergency.  

The decision to deploy such a force are to be taken by the member states and that usually means under a UN mandate even though NATO is a stand alone organisational, that has always been the strength of the organization, but most NATO operations have usually been based on a UN mandate, with the exception of the Kosovo operation.  The participants in the NRF and thus such an operation are to be drawn from the member states on a rotational basis, decided upon in the Prague meeting in 2002.  

Most of the procedures for such a rapid reaction forces have yet to be decided upon are still on the drawing board, but this kind of operation has to be decided by the NATO member states and will, I imagine, be of a more protective nature like escorting tankers through troubled waters.  Still, in some cases it could mean rescuing hostages or intervene in a situation where big installations, including oil and gas installations, are under attack from terrorist or guerrilla forces.

Here are some NATO links 1. 2. and 3.  that might shade some light on the mission and purpose  of these RR Forces.  The details are yet to be hammered out.      

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Just to add, this is of course a result of what has evolved into what has been called a wider security concept.  The old national security concept usually meant a military threat to national sovereignty or an armed threat against vital national installations.  Today the concept of security has been widened and includes, amongst other things, the supply of energy and planning and preparing for a national or an international crisis like a natural disaster.  

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