Brussels, 09/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - Meeting on Thursday 9 December, EU defence ministers were unable to reach an agreement on increasing the 2011 budget for the European Defence Agency (EDA). In early November, Catherine Ashton had suggested a rise of 2.2% (compared to 2010) next year, bringing the EDA budget to a total of €31.7 million. The rise would allow staff to be recruited (with another three posts opened). The United Kingdom challenged this rise, evoking the difficult economic situation. The proposal was therefore discarded and the EDA budget capped at the same level as in 2010, namely €30.5 million, of which €8.4 million will make up part of the EDA's operational budget for funding projects and outsourced EDA activity. French Defence Minister Alain Juppé underlined that “there is only a very thin line between what was on the table and what was finally voted”. He said the budget approved will allow the agency to function. “France would have liked something a little more ambitious”, he admitted. Defence ministers also deferred their decision on appointing a new executive director for the agency, a post which has been vacant since the departure, on 1 October this year, of Alexander Weis of Germany. Claude-France Arnould's candidature, proposed by Ashton during the meeting, was blocked by Italy which has not put forward an alternative applicant but which challenged even the procedure of nomination. Catherine Ashton is expected to continue consultation and submit further proposals on 21 December. (A.By./transl.jl)