Brussels, 18/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - Although EU defence ministers did not take any decisions that would make ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) significantly evolve, they did, on Monday 18 May, give their go-ahead to new developments in EU capabilities. Meeting within the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board, they approved the launch of two new programmes within the Agency and initiated further cooperation with the European Commission on defence-related research and technology. “We had a very productive and successful meeting”, EDA Executive Director Alexander Weis told the press, welcoming in particular “three major achievements”.
The EDA Steering Board meeting prior to the Council approved, after silence procedure, the launch, under EDA auspices, of the programme for developing a European transport helicopter based on the Franco-German initiative. The project, in which the United States may also participate, provides for the development of a heavy European transport helicopter (32-35 tonnes) by 2020. The Steering Board also carried out a first examination of the letter of intent aimed at creating the European Air Transport Fleet (EATF), signature of which is foreseen for the next Steering Board meeting in November 2009. It approved a new project launched by the EDA which, by 2015, should ensure better European force protection against biological agents. The Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain are to take part in this project for which the budget amounts to €100 million. Poland has confirmed an interest in taking part in the MUSIS project (multinational space-based imaging system), alongside six other countries that already participate in the programme, the aim of which is to develop a new generation of military observation satellites. Additional synergies could be sought with the European Commission as well as with the European space centre in Torrejon. The EDA Steering Board has also decided to tighten links with the Commission and to seek synergies between research and technology (R&T) activities developed by the Agency in the field of defence, and Commission research programmes on civil security. The Steering Board had instructed the EDA to develop a cooperation framework in conjunction with the Commission for synchronising research activities in both these areas. “We think there's a huge potential”, Weis said, pointing out that the Agency wants “for each euro invested a return of €1.5”. Concrete proposals will be presented during the next meeting of defence ministers in November 2009.
Defence ministers also approved the results of the twice-yearly coordination conference on battlegroups (GT-1500, i.e. the EU's rapid reaction force units). Organised on 23 April, this contributors' conference allowed the last shortfalls to be filled: - Spain will be the framework nation for one of the two battlegroups which will be placed on standby during the second half of 2010; and France and Portugal will head the two battlegroups to be placed on standby during the second half of 2011. (A.By./transl.jl)