European Union Backs Plan to Expand Military Coordination Britain’s decision to leave the EU and the election of Donald Trump give fresh impetus to Europe to come up with new plans for security cooperation By Julian E. Barnes and Laurence Norman
http://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-meets-to-rethink-defense-options-under-trump-presidency-1479122714
BRUSSELS—European governments endorsed a plan aimed at building military cooperation so that the bloc could act alone, as pressure builds on the region to increase its own military spending with the election of Donald Trump.
European Union ministers decided Monday to move forward with a proposal to create a new planning organization to oversee training missions and to make greater use of its standing military crisis-response units.
But they made little progress on the more sweeping proposals from Brussels over the summer to build common military capabilities or tap EU funding for defense projects.
Expanding defense cooperation via the EU has long been controversial. Britain has blocked a number of proposals in the past, preferring to work to strengthen security through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization instead.
But the U.K.’s decision to leave the EU and, now, the election of Mr. Trump have given fresh impetus for efforts to build what officials call Europe’s “strategic autonomy,” an ability to act independently of other major powers. In his presidential campaign, Mr. Trump questioned the relevance of the NATO military alliance and suggested American military support could be conditional on European military spending.
According to a statement published after their meeting on Monday, the foreign and defense ministers said they were committed to strengthening the EU’s ability to act as a security provider.
“This will enhance its global strategic role and its capacity to act autonomously when and where necessary and with partners wherever possible,” they said.
Federica Mogherini, the EU foreign-policy chief called the agreement a “qualitative leap.” But even supporters of more cooperation, such as Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, were more reserved, calling Monday’s decision a small step, albeit “in a very important strategic direction.”
Forging consensus in the EU is difficult, and divisions remain in the bloc over how to increase military spending or create new military capabilities. The agreements reached Monday fall far short of the military command-and-control headquarters some nations wanted, or an EU army, a proposal that never had wide support.
Member states are still considering options for some EU governments to enter into an agreement for a deeper defense cooperation, including working together to develop new weapons systems and military capabilities that Europe currently relies on the U.S. for. CONTINUE AT SITE
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