Brussels has bowed to pressure to boost military ties to show it can provide security in the face of terrorist attacks and a resurgent Russia.
ADVERTISEMENTThe European Union executive has unveiled plans to integrate Europe’s military and defence industries
for the first time ever.
It is part of a Franco-German initiative to improve security and increase efficiency across the bloc.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini says its also a way to relaunch the alliance.
“It’s a mater of maximizing the added value that the EU can bring to the EU member states work on security and defence, including through more cooperation, being it in the research field, being it in the capabilities development, being it through our EU military and civilian missions and operations,” Mogherini told a news conference.
While exact funding depends on individual governments, the Commission says it will put up at least 1.5 billion euros a year from its budget for research and development.
“We will use EU budget resources for prototipe financing, so there must be three companies minimum, from 2 countries minimum who can apply resources, grant money for building joint prototypes,” explained Jyrki Katainen, EU Commissioner for Jobs, Growth and Competitiveness.
The EU has also made clear it wants to set up a military headquarters for training missions abroad to make it easier to use its EU battlegroups that have never been deployed.
France also wants to establish a coalition of countries willing to conduct military operations together, rather than leave future peacekeeping mission to bigger states.