Brussels, 11/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Claude-France Arnould, who has been appointed chief executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA), is expected to take up her post on 17 January. Her successor at the head of the Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD) has not yet been designated. Claude-France Arnould had served for one year at the head of the CMPD, which is responsible for the civil and military planning and follow-up of EU missions and today transferred to the European External Action Service (EEAS). A call for applicants to the post is soon to be launched, European sources say.
For the EDA, the year 2011 will be mainly focused on the development of concrete cooperation with a view to enhancing member states' security and defence capabilities. As defence budgets are being cut and there is British criticism about cooperation at European level, the aim is to make the Agency the main instrument that member states may use to spend less but to spend more effectively. The sharing and pooling of means, the search for more synergy between civilian and military aspects - especially in the field of research and technology - continued development of cooperation between the EDA and NATO's Allied Command Transformation (ACT), as well as the response to needs expressed by member states regarding capability development - all will be on the top priority list during this half year. It is above all foreseen that cooperation underway between ACT and EDA will be extended to a fourth area, namely protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. Currently, cooperation between the two bodies includes combating improvised explosive devices (IEDs), logistic support through a programme linked to greater helicopter availability (the EDA is heading pilot training while ACT deals with the equipment side) and cooperation in the field of medical support. At the level of European cooperation, it will also be a matter of enhancing cooperation with the European Commission, especially when it comes to funding research on defence under the 8th framework programme (an initiative aimed at developing a joint action programme was blocked by Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani), space (one of the projects underway aims to synchronise certain projects of the Commission, EDA and European Space Agency), as well as public defence procurement. Progress of cooperation, built on the basis of consultation with member states, should be discussed in mid 2011. (A.By./transl.jl)