According to will of United States, EU should assure that collective defence remains exclusively a matter for NATO. There has been an “open discussion” on development of EU defence, said US defense minister Jim Matta at meeting with his NATO colleagues in Brussels. “There is a clear agreement to include in writing in EU documents that common defence is a NATO mission and only a NATO mission.”
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The US government had expressed concern before meeting that EU plans could weaken NATO and limit US companies ‘ access to European armaments market. The EU Member States decided in December to strengn cooperation in field of defence. It is intended to bring EU on road to defence Union. For time being, Union has adopted 17 military projects, some of which also concern arms cooperation.
Also, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had demanded on Tuesday that EU efforts should remain “complementary to NATO” and should not create “new barriers” in armaments markets. Of 29 NATO countries, 22 are also in EU.
Astonishment among Europeans
In case of EU members, Mattis ‘ demand for amazement. Trump himself had openly questioned need for NATO at beginning of his term. In past, individual EU representatives also led US president’s nationally-dominated course as a reason for Europe to become more independent in defence sector. However, for more than a year now, EU has been virtually repeating a prayer-mill that plans are not directed against NATO.
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There were no official reactions from EU side at first. Behind scenes, however, it is speculated that US might be more interested in interests of American armaments industry than fear of more European independence.
The plans for European Defence Union also include creation of a multi-billion-dollar armaments fund to increase competitiveness and performance of European defence industry. So far, US companies have been earning magnificent orders from EU countries, such as fighter aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
EU officials have also said several times that Europeans are more likely to see ir role in foreign missions in Africa where NATO is not active. It is clear that collective land and Alliance defence is “anyway Nato thing”, it was said on Thursday from a NATO and EU country. “The EU wants to build complementary capabilities that also benefit NATO.”
However, since Lisbon Treaty, EU has also had its own mutual agreement, which is similar to that of NATO. It is now in article 42 of EU Treaty. “In event of an armed attack on territory of a Member State, or Member States owe it all assistance and support y are in ir power”, it says.
The passus has until today been activated only once by France after Paris terrorist attacks of November 2015. But re was no military assistance from or EU countries.
Mattis said in Brussels that he sees sufficient evidence that EU’s efforts “strengn and do not deplete NATO’s common defence capabilities.” He pointed to plans that would allow for quicker and easier deployment of troops. However, EU is now under pressure to reaffirm in writing that it does not want to compete with NATO.
