Commissioner Reding defends the idea of a European defense system
(BRUSSELS2) Speaking at a citizens' dialogue in Namur on September 13, European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding stressed the need for a European commitment on defense and criticized the collective inability on Syria . " We have 1,5 million soldiers in Europe. It is more than the United States. However, the intervention of the United Kingdom and France in Libya was only possible with the assistance of the United States. Currently, we have a particularly devastating crisis in Syria. But the European Union is not acting collectively to solve it she estimated.
Pool soldiers and resources: from 3 to 9 billion in savings
« A European defense system would help us to respond to this dilemma. Pooling our resources would make our defense mechanisms more effective and help save money. If Europe had in common a smaller number of soldiers and if there were more coordination and interoperability between the armies of the member states, it could save between 3 and 9 billion euros per year. »
Slow on consular protection
The commissioner also castigated the slowness of the member states on certain proposals of the European Commission, in particular on consular protection. " Member states have still not managed to agree on these simple rules that the European Commission has proposed to better help these almost 7 million EU citizens when they need support abroad. "" It's time to take action she concluded.
After Madame Ashton, Madame Reding wakes up. We knew his bad dreams about the Roma. Now she has a bad defense… it's a bit late, isn't it!!! But OK. What should we think of a European army? In the current state of the EU, we can fear the worst. And then, there are already multiple European defense “things”, of dubious effectiveness. But that's good, Mrs Reding has spoken.
“Pooling our resources would make our defense mechanisms more effective”
To pool resources which tend to decrease within the Member States? What results can be achieved in this way, apart from that where some would leave the heavy burden to others?
Except that it is not she who decides that.