The 27 put European defense on their agenda

(BRUSSELS2) It has been a long time since the Heads of State and Government have put on their conclusions paper any ideas other than those responding to the financial crisis. The European summit should give birth today (December 14) to a set of proposals intended to prepare the debate on the Europe of Defense that the "28" will have in December 2013. Since the first version, distributed to Club subscribers (The 27 will give themselves a year to reflect on Defense. The mandate of the European Council), these conclusions have been beefed up and developed, to the point that they now occupy three pages of the last draft conclusion, in the latest version consulted by B2.

Three key ideas should preside over this "review" European style. 1° Increase the effectiveness of the common European security and defense policy (prevention of conflicts, European ability to deploy military and civilian capabilities). 2° Develop capabilities (identify gaps such as duplicates, prioritize future military capabilities, facilitate synergies between the various multilateral or bilateral initiatives). 3° Strengthen the defense industry (industrial and technological base for innovative and competitive European defense, synergies between civil and military research and development (R&D), application of the “defence markets” directives).

The High Representative like the European Commission but also the European Defense Agency are thus invited to make proposals and initiatives, by next September, to prepare for the next summit in December 2013.