Brussels, 22/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - Two reports from the European Parliament (EP), adopted in Strasbourg plenary session on Thursday 21 November, are fuel for ongoing reflection on common security and defence policy (CSDP) and on the European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB) - two subjects that are to be tackled, alongside many others, by the heads of state and government in Brussels on 19 and 20 December.
The report from Maria Eleni Koppa (Socialist, Greece) on implementation of CSDP, adopted by 421 votes to 104, with 80 abstentions, underlines that the EU must fully assume its international security responsibilities and call for substantial decisions to be taken along these lines during the European Council in December. Those decisions do not necessarily have to bring in new instruments but essentially implement the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty that have remained unused till now. This concerns not only the permanent cooperation structure, the possibility for the EU to entrust operations to a group of member states, the mutual assistance and solidarity clause, and also European capabilities and armaments policy. The report also deplores the fact that the CSDP missions are taking too much time to be set in place and, above all, are not up to the level of what is required. It therefore calls for their legal and financial framework to be reviewed.
The report by German Christian Democrat Michael Gahler on strengthening EDTIB was adopted by 415 votes to 103, with 67 abstentions. Like the European Commission's communication on this subject, presented in July this year (see EUROPE 10894), the report recommends supporting the European defence industry in order to avoid the risk of relocation of industrial activity. It underlines that the market today remains too fragmented in Europe and reproaches the member states for making too broad an interpretation of Article 346 of the TFEU (essential security interests). Several proposals have been made: - the setting in place of multinational defence projects and large-scale acquisition of defence technology; slight synchronisation of the planning of forces and capabilities in order to improve interoperability; making efforts for standardisation and certification; and greater support for research, including at EU level.
The two reports finally come together on several points: they reiterate the Parliament's request regarding the drafting of a European White Paper on security and defence, welcome the efforts made by the Commission, and consider that the European Defence Agency (EDA) is under-funded, given that it should play a greater role in coordination.
Arnaud Danjean (EPP, France), who chairs the sub-committee on security and defence, felt these two reports come within a specific context. A press release states (our translation): “None of our member states, not even France or Britain, confirmed military powers, is able to face, alone, the security challenges facing the European continent and our close environment” and “none of our member states, not even Germany, a major economic power, is able, on its own, to ensure prosperity and sustainable competitiveness for its industrial base”. (JK/transl.jl)