§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what international agreements he intends to negotiate to facilitate restructuring of the European defence industry. [51252]
§ Mr. SpellarOn 6 July 1998, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence signed a Letter of Intent with European Defence Ministers designed to facilitate the restructuring of the European defence industry. This Letter of Intent identifies potential obstacles to industrial restructuring in six key areas, together with possible means of removing them. The six areas are:
- Security of Supply
- Export Procedures
- Security of Information
- Harmonisation of Research and Technology
- Treatment of Technical Information
- Harmonisation of Military Requirements.
Expert working groups are being established to take forward detailed negotiations with the aim of removing the potential obstacles in each area. Solutions to the problems identified by the Working Groups will be set out in subsequent international agreements or arrangements. The legal status of these agreements has still to be decided. That said, I would hope the negotiations would be concluded within the next 12 months.