23/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - MEPs want permanent EU military staff. On Tuesday 23 November the European Parliament expressed a clear wish to set up a permanent EU military staff, by unanimously voting for the report by Christian Ehler (EPP, Germany) on the development of civil and military capability in EU crisis management. According to MEPs, this military staff should have a remit for operational planning and management of civilian and military operations headed by the EU. The author of the report explains that implementation of this staff would help prevent “friction and competition” between civilian and military resources and ensure a rapid response to international crises (EUROPE will be returning to this subject). (A.By./transl.fl)