Brussels, 02/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - The informal meeting in Deauville, which was quickly and efficiently conducted, showed how willing France's partners were to take forward Defence Europe. The congratulations from Javier Solana for the way Hervé Morin led the “frank and open” debates, and the long list of tangible projects were not enough, for some, already old-hands, to hide the differences that still remain among member states. These differences were apparent in some areas that are of particular importance to European defence autonomy:
- strengthening planning capability and the conduct of operations: among the issues which caused division, the creation of a genuine permanent EU military staff, no matter how small, was merely touched on in Deauville. A diplomat indicated that the debate could be taken up again on 10 November, informed by the report by General David Leakey, Director General of the EU military staff, on implementation of measures to strengthen planning planned as part of the process known as “post-Wiesbaden”.
- financing and effective use of the GT-1500 tactical groups: the French minister asked the chairman of the military committee, General Henri Bentégeat, to draw up proposals on amending the GT-1500 mandate, and the conditions for their funding and employment. Morin also had to acknowledge to press that there were still differences among member states which seek to use these instruments, deeming it too costly to form very well equipped units which were being kept on alert without there being any real intention of using them. Some, like France, wanted the GT-1500 to be, at least, used as reserve forces for EU operations, but this proposal met with strong opposition. The French minister also suggested that they could, at least, be used as a front-line force in the early days of EU operations.
- the industrial and technological basis of European defence (EDTB): “If we don't act now, in 10 or 15 years time we'll be buying everything from the United States,” warned the French minister, returning to the need to develop a European industrial policy. Morin argued for specialisation and sharing of competence in order to maintain a competitive defence industry in Europe, even if that meant that “France has to give up some activities and some research offices”. “The formation of European defence groups is essential for the independence of the European Union and to ensure that it can assure its own security. Some Europeans will have to accept that they are to produce this particular part of armaments, and others will specialise in that particular capability,” he said. He also called for the adoption of the defence package (the two directives on intra-Community transfers of defence goods and public procurement) before the end of the year. Richard Wright (DG RELEX) told ministers that the European Commission, with the EDA, was currently preparing a draft common reference system on defence public procurement, a proposal on the exchange of sensitive data between businesses in the sector and a study on monitoring foreign shareholding in European defence industries. (O.J./transl.rt)