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Defence Policy

It is entirely possible for EU missions to complement what we are doing in NATO, if those missions do things that NATO does not. The trouble arises if the missions become competitive; that is my point about the missions in the horn of Africa. At a time of scarce resources, we in the west should not waste resources by duplicating effort. The Secretary of State sensationally appeared on the front pages at the weekend, when there were reports of his support for an EU army. Of course, that was enthusiastically welcomed in the Brussels press. It is important for us to say what we think the appropriate relationship is. We believe that our defence relationship with our partners in the European Union should be intergovernmental, not supranational. Permanent, structured co-operation can easily become the precursor to a standing EU force. The European Defence Agency could easily become the precursor to a single procurement body. Under the Lisbon treaty, the European Commission will have a role in the EDA. The high representative for the common foreign and security policy will be vice-president of the Commission and head of the EDA, and that brings in an element of supranationalism that was not there before. The high representative will have a role of initiative in military operations, and we simply do not find that an acceptable way forward for the United Kingdom's defence relationships. It is not pathetic to oppose that; we believe that it is our duty to do so.