EU Adopts Common Defence Industry Strategy

SUPERPOWERS

France has been leading efforts to establish a relatively strong European defence identity more distinct from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which has 21 members in common with the EU.

by Staff Writers
Brussels (AFP) May 14, 2007
European Union countries made a new move Monday to pool defence resources by adopting a common strategy to manage the business aspects of EU defence and end the patchwork approach of today. The Defence Technological and Industrial Base (DTIB) strategy is aimed at establishing a common defence future in areas like research and development for the EU's 27 member nations.

It would allow the EU to operate more independently in defence matters.

The strategy commits governments to clarify defence industry priorities and identify key technologies, and consolidate demand for defence materials by, for example, clubbing together to tender for certain military hardware.

It would also see them boost investment and ensure security of supply in defence goods and services.

"We can no longer decide on the equipment we need on a purely national basis, and then pursue separate national research and development programmes and procurement," said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

"This approach is no longer economically sustainable and, in a world of multinational operations, it is operationally unacceptable too," he said.

The strategy, outlined in a document released on Monday, said that this would not mean the creation of "a 'fortress Europe', excluding imports from, or cooperation with, overseas defence industries."

But it said that given difficulties EU states have accessing the US defence market, it is only "natural and necessary for Europeans to cooperate more closely to ensure the future" of their own technological and industrial base.

Each EU member holds control over its own defence policy.

But France has been leading efforts to establish a relatively strong European defence identity more distinct from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which has 21 members in common with the EU.

Source: Agence France-Presse

Email This Article

SUPERPOWERS

Warming In Asia And Africa Threatens US

Washington (AFP) May 09, 2007
From the Niger delta to weather-blighted Somalia and teeming South Asia, global warming poses daunting risks and a knock-on threat to US national security, retired military brass and US senators warned Wednesday. Higher global temperatures, melting polar ice and rising sea waters endanger millions of people, and the US armed forces must be ready for a new age when strife in volatile regions is multiplied by environmental catastrophe, they said.

ENERGY TECH Bush Vies To Wean US Off Foreign Oil The Energy Nexus Of Russia And Central Asia Consumers Willing To Pay More For Environmentally Responsible Fuels Including Clean Coal Venezuela Nationalizes Foreign Oil Rigs	CIVIL NUCLEAR Japan Sees Advantage Of Nuclear Deal With Russia Russia Sparks Up Tianwan First Unit Russia Sets Up Nuclear Energy Corporation US May Lift Restrictions On Russian Uranium Supplies In June
BLUE SKY Widespread Twilight Zone Detected Around Clouds Rand Says Further Study Warranted On Save The World Air Technology Noxious Lightning AIM Heads For Orbit	WOOD PILE Global Scientists Urge Canada To Save Boreal Forest "Reducing Emissions From Deforestation" Initiative Launched Reducing Tropical Deforestation Feasible, Affordable And Essential Curbing Deforestation By Half Key To Global Warming Fight
FARM NEWS Decimation Of Bee Colonies Has Various Possible Causes Asia Fears Chinese Greens Netherlands Refuses GM Corn Shipment From US New Knowledge Improves Rice Quality	CAR TECH Radical Engine Redesign Would Reduce Pollution And Oil Consumption Intelligent Cars As Fuel-Efficient As Hybrids China Automobile Dream A Nightmare For Climate Change Driverless Car Goes On Show In London
AEROSPACE Australia Fears Jet Flight Guilt Could Hit Tourism Nondestructive Testing Keeps Bagram Aircraft Flying New FAA Oceanic Air Traffic System Designed By Lockheed Martin Fully Operational NASA Seeks New Research Proposals	NUCLEAR SPACE Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement