Common European Security and Defence Policy

HC Deb 15 October 2002 vol 390 c551W

Mr. Wiggin

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the Common European Security and Defence policy. [73836]

Mr. Hoon

The European Security and Defence Policy seeks to strengthen Europe's military capabilities and to support the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, while enabling a better and more coherent European contribution to NATO. It gives the EU the ability to take military decisions, and to take control of crisis management operations where NATO as a whole is not engaged.