14/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - As part of the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board, defence ministers of the member states of the European Union, with the exception of Denmark, on Monday 14 May, adopted a strategy document with the aim of developing a European defence technological and industrial base, which cannot be just the sum of the national parts, but an increasingly integrated, specialised and interdependent entity (see EUROPE 9425). The meeting saw the launch of a new initiative between the EDA, the European Commission and the industry to develop the means to integrate the use of drones into general air traffic by 2012. Initially, the EDA will launch a study to prepare a detailed roadmap. €500,000 have been earmarked for this purpose. During the meeting Hungary announced that it had become the 23rd member state to subscribe to the inter-governmental regime on procurement in the European defence equipment market, in which, since last July, there has been greater transparency and competition through a voluntary code of conduct. (oj)