Brussels, 15/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - As we indicated (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.5), Monday's External Relations Council adopted its common action defining the details for the implementation of the European Armaments Agency. Once in force, as it will be very soon, the common action will allow the Agency to be operational by the end of the year. The final stage will be to appoint an executive director, to be elected by the Agency's board, upon proposal by Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative for CFSP. It is highly likely that the Briton Nick Witney, who headed the team in charge of planning the implementation of the Agency, will be appointed to this post.
The aim of the Agency is to support the development of the European Defence Policy, notably by identifying future needs in terms of forces and kit, by creating a single arms market, by encouraging co-operation between European armaments industries, and by boosting research efforts. To do this, it will develop projects and programmes, and will be able to conclude contracts with public or private entities.
Its board of governors will meet twice a year at Ministerial level, but will also meet in other configurations (national armaments directors, for example). The European Commission's representative will have a seat on the board, but no voting rights. Qualified majority will be the rule for decision-making, but if a Member State is opposed to the decision being made by qualified majority, for a vital national reason, then the vote will not take place. The board could then decide, by qualified majority, to bring this issue before the Council, which will take a decision unanimously.
The Council will unanimously determine the Agency's budgetary envelope for three years (the first will be adopted for the period 2006-2008). In this financial context, the board will adopt the Agency's annual functional budget by qualified majority, which will be paid for by Member States taking part, depending on their GNP. For 2004, a budget of less than 2 million EUR is forecast. In 2005, it will be around 25 million EUR, including 10 to cover the Agency's start-up costs. To this will be added "ad hoc" budgets for projects and programmes set up by the Agency, and paid for by the States taking part.
Open to the participation of all Member States, the Agency allows a group of countries to set up specific projects or programmes, which can become Agency projects, unless the board objects. Any Member State of the Agency which wants to take part in a project launched by a group of countries must notify its intentions to the countries in question, which will decide whether or not it may take part. Third countries and other organisations can also join in with specific projects or programmes.