Common Foreign and Security Policy (Hansard, 6 December 1999)

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are under way through the Common Foreign and Security Policy consequential to the Cologne Summit to(a) modify and (b) unify European capabilities in (i) intelligence, (ii) strategic transport, (iii) command and control and (iv) defence industries; and if he will make a statement. [100999]

§ Mr. Hoon
We are committed to strengthening Europe's military capabilities such that European nations are able to assemble, deploy rapidly and sustain the right mix of armed forces for specific NATO or EU-led operations.
We believe that European nations, co-operating together, should be able to undertake the most demanding crisis management operations up to Corps level. At the UK/French Summit in November 1999, we called on European member states to commit themselves to this goal at the Helsinki European Council. Additionally, we called for capability goals to be set and established in the fields of command and control, intelligence and strategic lift, and announced some bilateral measures to enhance our capabilities in these areas.
We also reaffirmed our conviction that strengthened European defence capabilities need to be supported by a strong and competitive European defence industry and technology.
Further discussions on these issues will be held by the EU Heads of State and Government at the European Council in Helsinki on 10–11 December.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future membership and remit of the(a) political and security and (b) military committees, established at the Cologne summit. [101001]

§ Mr. Hoon
At the Cologne European Council, Heads of State and Government approved a report by the German Presidency which noted that, to support defence decision making, the EU might require a Political and Security Committee and a Military Committee.
The membership and role of these bodies will be discussed by the EU Heads of State and Government at the European Council in Helsinki on 10–11 December.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the establishment of an EU (i) situation centre, (ii) satellite centre and (iii) Institute for Security Studies, with reference to(a) function, (b) budget and (c) security clearance rating. [101002]

§ Mr. Hoon
At the Cologne European Council, Heads of State and Government approved a report by the German Presidency which noted that, to support defence decision making, the EU might require a situation centre, a satellite centre and an Institute for Security Studies.
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Such bodies already exist under the auspices of the WEU. The future of these bodies, and of the relationship between the WEU and EU, will be further discussed by the EU Heads of State and Government at the European Council in Helsinki, on 10–11 December, and over the coming months.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of a central intelligence and analysis agency for the EU consequential to the Cologne Summit. [101105]

§ Mr. Hoon
We are committed to strengthening Europe's military capabilities so that European nations are able to assemble, deploy rapidly and sustain the right mix of armed forces for specific NATO or EU-led operations.
The EU must be able to draw on intelligence and analysis capabilities in order to undertake a crisis management operation. We are discussing with our Allies and Partners, both in NATO and in the European Union, the best way of achieving this.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the appropriate decision-making bodies referred to in section 2 of the Cologne Presidency report on Strengthening of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. [101000]

§ Mr. Hoon
The decision-making bodies referred to in section 2 of the Cologne Presidency Report are detailed in section 3 of the same Report.