EU creates defence and space branch ‘to complement NATO’
Robin Emmott, Reuters, Sep 11 2019
BRUSSELS – The EU will create a new defence and space arm to help fund, develop and deploy armed forces, the bloc’s incoming chief executive said on Tuesday, naming an ally of Pres Macron for the role. The creation of a defence branch in the European Commission, long resisted by Britain, is an attempt by Pres-elect Ursula von der Leyen to stem a decline in EU influence, as it faces heavy Pindo pressure to do more for its own security. Von der Leyen, a former German defence minister, told a news conference:
The EU will never be a military alliance, but the EU member states have been told many times that common procurement for their armed forces is of utmost importance. This effort will complement NATO, which will always be the collective defence.
Sylvie Goulard, a former long-time MEP currently at France’s central bank, will be responsible for the new directorate general, as commissioner for industrial policy. Although von der Leyen gave few details, the defence arm will build on an EU military pact signed in late 2017 to integrate defence forces by working on new weapons and contributing to rapid deployments. Faschingstein supports the initiative, but has also warned against shutting Pindo companies out of defence contracts. With Britain set to leave the EU, Germany has backed the French-led effort to identify weak spots in European armies with the goal of filling those gaps together as a bloc. Space is also becoming an area where the EU wants to develop technology jointly. The plans will rely on a proposed €13b defence fund for developing and buying weapons together, with money from the EU’s common budget for defence research. Von der Leyen named Goulard on Tuesday along with commissioners from each member statr to her new team which will take office on Nov 1.
Next EU chief says she does not see Turkish progress in EU entry bid
Reuters, Sep 11 2019
BRUSSELS – Incoming EC Pres Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that Turkey had not made progress on key conditions to allow it to become a member of the EU. She told a news conference at which she announced her future team of commissioners:
As regards Turkey, I have not seen this progress in the last years. On the contrary, Turkey needs to show that it wants to be closer to European values, to European rules, the rule of law, liberty and fundamental values.