§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the proposal outlined at the recent Anglo-French summit for an inter-governmental defence capabilities development and acquisition agency; and when he anticipates the agency coming into operation. [98522]
§ The Prime MinisterIn the Defence Working Group of the Convention on the Future of Europe, the United Kingdom proposed that an intergovernmental EU agency should be established to help improve European military capabilities.
At the Le Touquet summit, France and the United Kingdom agreed to promote a co-ordinated approach to capability development through the establishment of a European defence capabilities development and acquisition agency. A copy of the Summit Communique, which outlines the envisaged functions of the agency, has been placed in the Library of the House.
The agency's efforts would complement and reinforce NATO capability improvement work, and should generate better targeted, and more cost-effective capabilities for European Security and Defence Policy.
If the proposal is agreed, the new treaty which is currently being drawn up for consideration at the Intergovernmental Conference in late 2003 or early 2004 would include an article providing for the establishment 252W of such an agency. The new treaty will be subject to ratification before coming into force although some elements might be put in place beforehand.