European Union governments today agreed a series of specific steps and timetables for implementing a strategy to strengthen the Defence Technological and Industrial Base (DTIB) by strengthening competition and cooperation in Europe and focussing more deliberately on the needs of the future.
A meeting of the Steering Board of the European Defence Agency, held at the level of National Armaments Directors, reviewed a series of roadmaps for delivering the ground-breaking strategy agreed by defence ministers last May.
“Ministers have recognised that individual Member States can no longer sustain their separate DTIBs on a purely national basis, and that we need to specialise and become more dependent on each other at a European level,” said Eero Lavonen, who chaired the meeting on behalf of Javier Solana, Head of the Agency.
“The roadmaps agreed today provide the key milestones to implement successfully the policies and approaches set out in the strategy,” he added.
In keeping with the EDA’s mandate to try to integrate different aspects of the defence agenda, the roadmaps cover a broad range of activities, including identification of key industrial capabilities, security of supply between countries, increased competition in the defence equipment market, deepening and diversifying the supplier base, and improved armaments cooperation.
The Steering Board agreed that rapid progress was needed before the new EDA Chief Executive presents the first annual report on the progress of the strategy to ministers next spring.
A key element of the implementation is pressing ahead with the successful market initiatives already undertaken, such as the Code of Conduct for Defence Procurement. In that context, the Steering Board agreed that, despite the substantial volume of business (an estimated €10 billion) now advertised on the Agency’s Electronic Bulletin Board (www.eda.europa.eu/ebbweb), more needed to be done to increase cross-border bids and contract awards.
“Creating a European market is a joint endeavour by industry and governments and it is understandable that the supply side should take some time to adapt to a world in which, for the first time, defence procurement is being done on a pan-European basis,” Lavonen said.
The Steering Board also approved a Code of Conduct for coordinating investment in the Defence Test and Evaluation Base (DTEB), designed to avoid duplication and encourage the sharing of these expensive facilities. The code, modelled on the framework for the defence equipment market, aims at promoting transparency and encouraging coordination of new investments in the field of defence Test & Evaluation facilities.
The basic principle of the code, which will be operational on 1 January 2008, is mutual disclosure among the subscribing Member States of any planned DTEB investment worth more than €1 million - to enable a coordinated investment, or reciprocal use of such facilities.
On other matters, the National Armaments Directors:
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reviewed the plans for taking forward the initiative for inserting Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) into regulated air space and noted with pleasure the emergence of promising collaborative technology demonstrator projects; (including work on Sense Avoid technologies by Sweden and France, and Germany);
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took stock of the work being done by the Agency for certification and standardisation in Software Defined Radio, agreeing the need for such capabilities in Europe;
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approved the setting-up of an ad hoc EDA Materiel Standardization Group and Guidelines for the Selection and Use of Defence Materiel Standards.
The Directors also noted with satisfaction the Agency’s cooperation with the Commission on many of its agendas.
Finally, the Steering Board expressed its thanks and deep appreciation for the outstanding contribution made by the outgoing EDA Chief Executive, Nick Witney, who was attending his last meeting of the Agency’s governing body before handing over to Alexander Weis on 1 October.
“It is impossible to overstate Nick’s part in the success of this enterprise, as head of the Agency Establishment Team which mapped out the new institution and as its first leader,” Lavonen said. “He has consistently set out the facts about European defence, reminded us of what we have said we want to achieve, presented specific and practical proposals, and cajoled and encouraged us to reach agreements. He can be very proud of what the Agency has accomplished.”
“It has been a privilege to lead the Agency during its first years and to work with such a dedicated and talented team inside the EDA, and such a diverse set of stakeholders within Brussels, and across Europe. In the participating Member States, in other institutions and in the defence industry, the EDA is lucky to have so many supportive friends.” Witney said.
“I know that, with their help, Alexander Weis will be able to take the work of the Agency forward with confidence and great success,” he added.