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A “defence” task force at the European Commission

(BRUSSELS2) Michel Barnier, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, has just officially confirmed this a few minutes ago in Brussels. The European Commission has set up a "defence task force" which will bring together all the services of the European Commission dealing with defense (*), as well as the European Defense Agency and the European diplomatic service . First meeting tomorrow (November 8) You must have “ a coherent and ambitious response to organize markets in the face of security challenges explained the commissioner in front of a select audience, made up of ambassadors and defense industrialists, gathered for the "Security and Defense Day".

Preserving a common industrial base

This task force will have four tasks:

  • 1° Monitor the correct application of the defense directives.
  • 2° Create a debate on industrial policy, maintain a capacity for strategic monitoring. " We had an industrial ambition at the beginning of the European construction, the industrialists had it by creating Airbus, we had it with space, for Galileo, I would like the Europeans to rediscover this industrial audacity said the commissioner, speaking "in a personal capacity". " Europe must not give up being a land of production and remain only a land of consumption. I don't see why we should be more naive than the Americans at home or the Chinese. »
  • 3° stepping up standardization and research efforts. " The link is increasingly tenuous between defense and security, the technologies are similar and the industries that produce them are identical, we must avoid paying twice for the same products indicated Michel Barnier.
  • 4° ensure our security of supply.

The military tool more necessary than ever

In a vibrant plea, which goes beyond his strict mandate as commissioner (he was also careful to specify that he was speaking "in a personal capacity"), Michel Barnier called for maintaining a European defense policy and a short European. " The military tool remains necessary for the countries. European cooperation is undoubtedly difficult. But it is essential. No country, from the largest to the smallest, can no longer defend itself. he observed. He also warned the Member States of the European Union such as the United States " The Atlantic Alliance rests on two feet (But) today the European foot is fragile. We need Europe and not less Europe. The right way if not the only one (for defense policies) is to further pool our national resources. »

Pooling: the only way

There is at least " three good reasons to cooperate - then detailed the commissioner -: addressing security challenges; preserve an industrial base allowing us to produce these military tools at home; create a defense and security market large enough for our European industries to remain competitive at home and around the world. This is, in a way, the "political" roadmap of the new task force.

(*) This task force, according to our information, will be co-chaired by two senior officials - from DG Internal Market (Pierre Delsaux) and DG Enterprise (Daniel Calleja Crespo) -, and will involve several other DGs (Interior, Transport , Commerce, etc.), as well as the diplomatic service (EEAS) and the European Defense Agency.

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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