Brussels, 05/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - In 2003, the EU adopted its European Security Strategy (ESS). It is now time to implement it, German Christian Democrat Karl von Wogau states in a draft report discussed on 4 May within the sub-committee on defence and security that he chairs at the European Parliament. In his document, Mr von Wogau pushes for the establishment of a real Defence and Security Union within the framework of the future constitutional Treaty.
Although the ESS contains an “excellent analysis” of the dangers of the modern world facing the EU, it is now time to develop an “action plan” in order to implement this strategy through concrete measures, the rapporteur states, finding it “astonishing” that security of European territory is referred to only in passing in the ESS. Although NATO remains the “most appropriate instrument” for most EU countries in the event of an attack by the armed forces of a third country, the EU itself has the appropriate instruments for certain tasks relating to the protection of its own territory, for example for securing the Union's external borders and its vital infrastructure, the destruction of terrorist funding networks and the fight against organised crime. Due to the small number of armed forces available to it and deployable outside its borders, the EU must focus on immediate geographical areas, in particular the Balkans.
Mr von Wogau reiterates the call for expansion of the Operations Centre (Ed.: an offshoot of the EU operations planning cell that serves as a temporary headquarters for specific missions) into a genuine EU Headquarters. He considers, moreover, that the next generation of the national satellite intelligence-gather systems for military observation (such as the French Hélios) should form a “joint European system” available for all Member States from the European Satellite Centre in Torréjon. In the field of telecommunications, it would also be necessary to develop a joint system for the command of multinational units (such as Battle Groups).
MEP Wogau criticises the lack of parliamentary control on ESDP financing. He suggests a “new budgetary methodology” in two phases. In a first phase, the Council should establish a budgetary document reflecting the commitments made by the Member States to fulfil the Civilian Headline Goal 2008 and the Military Headline Goal 2010. In a second phase, the Member States should commit themselves to ESDP through a “virtual budget” in which they would commit funds on a multi-annual basis for financing ESDP equipment and personnel. This would be a “non-legally binding document” that would be discussed within national parliaments and the European Parliament.
Finally, the rapporteur calls on Member States to establish a true Security and Defence Union within the framework of the future EU constitutional Treaty, based on several elements that already exist such as the solidarity clause, the EU Foreign Minister also responsible for security and defence issues, and the possibility of enhanced cooperation for defence issues. This Union would also be based on an EU Council of Defence Ministers, the creation of a common market in the field of defence, and adequate parliamentary scrutiny.
Mr von Wogau considers priority should be given to the creation of a real Union in the context of the future constitutional Treaty of the EU, and, in this context, he stresses the need to give ratification another chance in 2007. However, should the ratification process fail, he considers it would be necessary to envisage the creation of such a Union in accordance with the Schengen Agreements, between Member States that wish to move forward, as he had pointed out in a seminar organised by the Western European Union (WEU) Assembly in London on 25 and 26 April. But, he explained to EUROPE, this would be “far more difficult and a last resort solution”.