Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-04-09-Speech-3-229"
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"en.20030409.5.3-229"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the recent crisis in Iraq demonstrated fairly clearly where Europe is lagging behind, especially on foreign policy and defence issues. However, let us not dwell on Europe's weaknesses. This crisis may also have a creative effect for European policies and, from this point of view, I think that the Morillon report has come along at just the right time, even if this was not apparent when it started.
Without doubt, the component element of European security is the relationship between the European Union and NATO. In any case, the European option in crisis management is to appeal first to the will and action of regional and international organisations; in other words, dialogue takes priority. The recent cooperation agreement between the European Union and ΝΑΤΟ is an important step towards complementarity and mutual support between the two organisations. I should like to take this opportunity to underline the fact that the Morillon report notes that action by the two organisations and their members must be directed and governed by the principles of the United Nations Charter.
As I said earlier, ladies and gentlemen, these are both points noted in the Morillon report and aims of the presidency and that is why we are making an effort to promote them. However, there can be no doubt that the report proposes and covers a broad spectrum of ideas relating to very serious issues and institutional aspects of the ESDP, which will make a valuable contribution to our discussions from now on. I do not intend to comment further on each of the ideas in the report, despite the fact that many of them are extremely interesting, because the application of these ideas needs to be preceded by the institutional reforms which are currently being debated within the framework of the Convention and which will then be debated at the intergovernmental conference. However, I am certain that they will be useful as a valuable source of inspiration and consideration.
We have arrived at a crucial turning point. The European Union has proceeded with a bold enlargement and must take firm steps to enlarge is policies accordingly, so that it can proceed on the basis of different factors than in the past. The overwhelming majority of Europeans expect this, as Mr Morillon notes in his report. These times really do call for decisiveness and action, with the ultimate objective of promoting the defence identity of the European Union. This will allow the European Union to fortify its security and strengthen its foreign policy.
Ladies and gentlemen, the current state of affairs, despite its dark side, might mark the start of an intensive debate as to what the European Union intends to do from now on, especially now that we are in the middle of an open debate on the future of Europe. These are outstanding issues and any lessons gathered on the causes and development of the Iraqi crisis must fortify us so that we can prevent and avert similar situations in the future and give Europe a stronger profile in the global system.
Today, because the traditional twin superpower system has collapsed, we need to find new security strategies and measures. Within this framework, the spread of weapons of mass destruction is not the only hotbed of crisis. This is not the only danger threatening global security and stability. Extensive poverty, organised crime, institutionalised violence and serious recessions may have the same adverse impact on global stability and security as military or terrorist action. We certainly need to examine in parallel the extent to which we are developing the right policies for all these dangers and at what point in time. Along with any reaction we choose, we consider support for global security, mutual trust, cooperation, consensus in international organisations, alliances and networks to be vital. The method we use to handle threats to global security will determine our future as we build peace and safeguard a healthy economic environment and find convincing answers to global political, economic and even environmental problems.
At this point, with the occurrence of the Iraqi crisis, I should like to say how grateful I am that the extremely interesting report by General Morillon has given the presidency an opportunity to formulate the Council's opinions on as serious an issue for European integration as the European security and defence policy. Both the Morillon report and other related initiatives, such as the Barnier report, have contributed important ideas which may be especially useful in the debate to be held at the intergovernmental conference, and even at the present stage, when the competent bodies of the Council are processing texts relating to the integration of the ESDP mechanism and, of course, in the Convention.
I need to point out here, and I shall explain why in just a moment, that some of the ideas formulated in the Morillon report relate to initiatives which have already been set in motion and are being examined by the competent bodies of the Union. I shall start by dealing with the current threats to security, stability and peace that have taken a very different form from the usual threats in the past. To tell the truth, the ESDP mechanism was not designed from the start to cope with horizontal and irrational threats such as terrorism or the spread of weapons of mass destruction, which is why the mechanism needs to be carefully and gradually adapted to the present security environment.
Within this framework, the first move has been to set two specific objectives: the use of the military forces of the Union for the protection from terrorist attack of civilians on the one hand and of the military forces of the Union deployed in crisis areas on the other. Without doubt, the further development and improvement of military capabilities are the pivotal point of the security and, subsequently, the defence of the Union. We are paying particular attention to this issue and, within the framework of continuing the efforts made so far, there are plans to convene a conference of capabilities to evaluate and record progress made in applying the related action plan, the ΕCΑP, and deciding how to proceed.
The presidency has drafted a text with guidelines on what is to be done once the competent working parties, the ECAP panels, have completed their work. We hope that these initiatives will give new momentum to improving our operational capability in the military sector and, by extension, will help to strengthen the bases for the further development of the ESDP. In this respect, it is also especially important to develop the rapid reaction force, which is why this issue was already included in the basic priorities in the field of the military aspect of the ESDP by the Spanish Presidency. The operational framework which will govern the formation and operation of rapid reaction units is being examined by the competent political and military bodies and we are making every effort to complete it by the end of the Greek Presidency. It goes without saying that strengthening the Union's military capabilities will not be possible unless we extend and broaden our cooperation in the field of armaments. This enterprise should, of course, have been planned earlier, but the time has come to implement it and the Union is still breaking new ground here.
The decision taken by the European Council in Brussels had two parts: first, to instruct the Council to examine the role of defence research and development within the more general framework of the Union's related capabilities and, secondly, to examine the possible creation of a European armament agency, a European intergovernmental agency. Both these issues are very important steps towards strengthening cooperation in the defence sector. If we are forward looking, we can combine defence research with the Union's competitiveness policies, in order to feed and develop numerous sectors and move towards stronger enlargement.
The development of a global space policy for the European Union is being promoted with the same intention and will also be applied in the security sector. The Morillon report also touched on this. It is clear from developments over the last decade that there are many common dangers and we need an equally coordinated, common response. Within this framework, we need to cultivate and promote a common perception of security, which is why the creation of a system of common political and military training for crisis management is of especial interest to the presidency and we are already working on this.
The idea mentioned in the Morillon report of setting up a civilian peace corps is a very good idea and will help make the average European citizen aware of what is happening in the security sector and how we are dealing with and participating in this at a practical level. We are seriously examining this idea and the presidency will most probably submit the text with the relevant guidelines."@en1
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