Member states agree EU joint defence research fund

EU defence ministers have given the green light to create a common defence research and technology (R&T) fund, aimed at narrowing the gap between the US and Europe in high-tech military equipment.

"R&T is the seed-corn for our future equipment capabilities, and pursuing new technologies will give us the capabilities we need in the future and strengthen our industries and research institutions," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said in a statement on Tuesday (7 March). "But we must spend more, spend more together and spend more effectively," he added.

The new research and technology (R&T) fund will be aimed at narrowing the gap between the US and Europe in high-tech military equipment, with the US spending five times more than the EU in the field.

One EU proposal suggests member states pool a small part of their defence budgets for EU cooperation on military research. But the move has been heavily criticised, with opponents saying it would constitute a threat to national control over military affairs.

Britain is among the states that has strongly opposed the fund, which would be managed by the EU's European Defence Agency (EDA) and controlled by national governments. According to an EDA spokesperson however, the British have now agreed to spending more money on research and technology in the bloc, although London has stressed that the money should be spend on concrete projects, and not be paid to Brussels "in blanco". Members of the Conservative party in Britain have also warned that money spent in this way will undermine NATO work, and co-operation with the Americans.

Congo has to wait

Meanwhile, at the same meeting, minister failed to agree on how to run a military mission to Congo in response to a UN request for help with safeguarding the country’s elections in June. A spokesperson for the Swedish defence minister told EUobserver that all EU member states were in favour of the mission, but demanded more time and information before committing themselves to a contribution.

Sweden, Spain, Belgium and Portugal were the first member states to show interest in sending troops. Germany, who had earlier indicated that it might be willing to lead the EU force, insisted more talks were needed with Congolese leaders before deploying soldiers for the operation. German defence minister Franz-Josef Jung told reporters in Innsbruck that Berlin would not agree to take the lead until it had clear offers of support from other EU members and firm agreement from Congolese authorities. "We were all in agreement that EU representative (Javier) Solana should go to Kinshasa soon to firm up details of what is needed," Mr Jung said, according to German media.

Euobserver