Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-04-09-Speech-2-153"
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"en.20020409.7.2-153"2
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"Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Mr President, Commissioners, we must stop talking and take action. The sad fact that we must face is that, despite some positive signs, such as the decisions to establish the GALILEO satellite navigation system and to build the A 400 M military transport aircraft by 2008, following prolonged and arduous negotiations, we are not succeeding in providing European defence policy with a definite structure and we usually fail to get beyond semantics or comitology.
The reason why European defence policy is not going well is because we are not clearly applying the method of variable geometry, which would enable the Member States that are determined to take action to define some common strategic interests and thus identify the resources to use.
Since we are using the wrong method, we still do not have the essential elements to meet our common defence needs. We still do not have a European armaments agency. At the very time when combat air fleets are due to be replaced throughout the world, we in Europe are going to tackle this crucial problem in difficult conditions and in a disorganised fashion, unlike our determined and innovative American rivals. We have no anti-missile defence programme: we should be developing a European policy in this area instead of condemning the American project. Lastly, defence expenditure is falling throughout Europe, with the exception of the United Kingdom. Over the last ten years, most of our governments have used defence budgets as an adjustment variable, and the decline in both the amounts and the proportions spent is astonishing.
The shock of the events of 11 September and the realisation of having to engage in a now ongoing battle against terrorism have not provoked European leaders into taking the necessary action – which is strange, as we are all exposed to the same level of risk. It is high time, however, that we stopped using, once and for all, the misleading rhetoric of peace dividends. In order to respond to these new threats, our countries must make a substantial increase in their defence spending. The task will be even more difficult because we in Europe have become used to certain facilities; we need courageous politicians to fulfil this task. It may be worthwhile to stress this at a time when election campaigns are underway in many of our Member States."@en1
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