Brussels, 24/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - “How could the Commission, within its competences, enhance our common security and defence policy and reinforce Europe's industrial base in the defence sector?” - this is the question answered by the communication, “Towards a more competitive and efficient defence and security sector”, in President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso's view. This, at least, is how Barroso presented the text to the press on Wednesday 24 July, alongside European Commissioner for the Internal Market Michel Barnier and European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship Antonio Tajani, after the communication was adopted by the College of Commissioners.
The communication, which includes an action plan, does not lack in ambition - be it with regard to the multitude of challenges identified (see EUROPE 10894) or the desired objective of giving the EU sufficient means to be able to have real “strategic, political and industrial sovereignty” in security and defence - to use Barnier's words.
The communication thus constitutes the Commission's contribution to the discussion that is already under way ahead of the European Council at the end of the year - a Council “which must be the opportunity for a new stimulus for a European defence policy, leading to a European defence”, Barnier stated. This meeting will be “an important moment to discuss the future of security and defence in Europe, and the Commission is making an important contribution to the collective effort involving member states, the European External Action Service and the European Defence Agency”, said European Commission Vice-President and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in a press release. She recalled that “the EU has the ambition to act as a security provider, in its neighbourhood and globally, both to protect its own interests and contribute to international peace and security” and “to be able to do so, we need capabilities. And to have capabilities, a sound industrial base is vital”.
There is certainly no lack of challenges. Barroso spoke of three, which explain why the Commission has studied this issue and why particularly now. Above all, it's an issue of credibility in the international arena. It is “essential to reinforce our foreign policy and the European Union's role in the world” and, for this, “we need to be able to back up our positions of principle with security and civilian missions that can help stabilise the situation in crisis areas around the world. We also need critical expertise and autonomy in key capability areas.” This credibility and influence is not only to be won with enemies. “The EU must first be respected by its allies, which is not always the case”, Barnier stated.
However, this task is all the more delicate as it must be implemented “in times of economic constraint.” Constraint means “cuts in defence budgets which exacerbates the situation, in particular, because they are neither co-ordinated nor implemented with regard to common strategic objectives”, the Commission underlines in the introduction to its communication. Indeed, EU defence spending dropped from €251 billion to €194 billion between 2001 and 2010. The consequences are keenly felt, with budget cutbacks in existing and planned programmes for developing military equipment and a 14% decrease in European R&D budgets between 2005 and 2010. “The US alone spends today seven times more on defence R&D than all 27 EU member states together”, the Commission notes.
This constitutes the second challenge which the communication attempts to answer. In the current budgetary context, it would seem logical that the EU spend its resources “wisely, avoiding duplication, by pooling more investment and sharing more assets” because “member states cannot afford an isolated approach to security and defence anymore”, in Barroso's opinion. The third major issue is that of employment and industrial capability. “The defence and security sector is a major industrial cluster in Europe, directly employing 400,000 people and indirectly generating another 960,000 jobs in Europe, with a turnover of €96 billion in 2012 alone, and €23 billion of exports in 2011”, Barroso said, stressing that the keywords must be “competitiveness”, “cooperation” and “innovation”, rather than “fragmentation” and “duplication”. It is also possible to consolidate demand for defence at EU level, in tandem with the Atlantic Alliance, Barroso added, particularly in order to reduce costs.
The focus on industry in this communication is reflected in almost all the different challenges identified: completing the internal market; getting rid of distortions to competition; standardisation and certification; and research and support for SMEs. The industrial dimension is as important an economic factor as it is political, explained Tajani. Obviously, European industry in this sector is of a good standard and quality but “there is a lack of coordination” and a consequent lack of efficiency. The objective is not to have industrial concentration but rather interoperable products. Member states may have the same tanks in the various theatres of operation, but as long as they do not share common standards in IT systems they will not be able to operate together, as was demonstrated by the intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he pointed out.
Should the EU promote European industry to the disadvantage of its foreign competitors? Not according to Barnier: “The answer is not protectionism but investment in pooled research serving as a lever in key technologies we have identified and which we are currently losing to the Chinese, Americans and others”. In brief, this Commission communication “effects a decompartmentalisation that was necessary”. “First of all, a decompartmentalisation, if I may say, between our different directorates general … as well as between civil and military”, “a decompartmentalisation with the industrial sector … and finally between the European institutions themselves”. Although the Commission has now demonstrated that it is ready to meet the challenge of providing a new boost for European defence, by taking action “within the scope of its competencies”, explained Barroso, it is now up to the European Council to undertake the task of supporting and completing this effort. (JK/transl.fl)