Brussels, 12/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 12 December 2008, the European Council endorsed the conclusions of the High Representative for CFSP's report on implementation of the EU's Security Strategy. The report says that the threats identified in 2003 remain in place and have become more complex but it believes the EU should pay greater attention to the connection between security and development, energy security, defence against cyber-attacks and the security repercussions of climate change. The EU27 did not give any details about a review of the Security Strategy in the future.
In a statement on strengthening the ESDP, the EU27 stress that expansion of the EU's international role will require robust, flexible and interoperable capabilities, hence the importance of developing, on a voluntary basis, innovative forms of specialisation and pooling and major equipment projects. The European Council argues that restructuring the industrial and technological basis of EU defence, particularly around EU centres of excellence, avoiding duplication, to guarantee solidity and competitiveness, is an economic and strategic necessity. The EU27 encourages the High Representative/Secretary General to draw up a single civilian and military strategic planning structure for ESDP operations and missions (referring to France's idea of merging of Council Directorate-Generals 8 and 9).
At a press conference the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, said Europe had to have a defence policy of its own, even though it will from part of cooperation with allies, at NATO, for example. He said the fact that ESDP is not longer seen as 'aggressive towards the United States' was 'monumental progress'. (O.J. trans fl)