Defence integration can only make progress within the European Union on the initiative of the member states that want to see it accomplished and decide to make common efforts through permanent structured cooperation (PESCO). The European Parliament made this observation in an own initiative report adopted on Thursday 16 March.
This report on, “the constitutional, legal and institutional consequences of common security and defence policy: opportunities provided by the Lisbon Treaty” was drafted by the two rapporteurs from the EPP group, Michael Gahler (Germany) and Esteban González Pons (Spain).
It was adopted by 360 votes in favour, 212 against, with 48 abstentions. The EPP, S&D and ALDE groups voted in favour, whilst the ECR, GUE/NGL and Greens/EFA voted against.
The main thrust in this report can be located in the idea of encouraging a number of member states that have the political will to ultimately exploit all the possibilities in the current legal framework provided by the Lisbon Treaty to give a new boost to Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP). Parliament is suggesting that this is achieved by making full use of the PESCO and European Defence Agency (EDA), which “should be treated as Union institutions sui generis”. The European budget should be mobilised to this end in an effort to fund the administrative and operating costs, which will be both an incentive to member states and an opportunity for MEPs to exercise Parliamentary control.
Parliament also believes that institutional adaptations are necessary, such as creating a third Committee of Permanent Representatives to the EU (Coreper) on the basis of the EDA steering committee, whilst restricting the Political and Security Committee (COPS) mandate. In the longer term, during possible revision of the treaties, Parliament has indicated that it would be in favour of Setting up “EU armed forces” for high intensity conflicts, whilst in the short-term, they would need to set up “an integrated European force” that could respond to CSDP requirements and effectively carry out smaller scale missions and operations. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)