Joint debate on Common Security Defence Policy during the EP pleanry session in Strasbourg. Statements by Arnaud DANJEAN (EPP, FR), Eduard KUKAN (EPP, SK), Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA, EE), Ana GOMES (S&amp;D, PT) and Federica MOGHERINI, Vice-President of the EC/EU High Representative for CSFP

Strasbourg

plenary session

common security and defence policy (T)

TARAND, Indrek (Greens/EFA, EE)

MOGHERINI, Federica (IT, EC)

GOMES, Ana (S&D, PT)

joint debate

DANJEAN, Arnaud (EPP, FR)

KUKAN, Eduard (EPP, SK)

Common Security Defence Policy: extracts from the joint debate

SOUNDBITE (French), Arnaud DANJEAN (EPP, FR), Rapporteur, "The problem is that we are face with these crisis that are becoming increasingly intense , increasingly nearby, and we are increasingly proving unable to respond effectively to these crisis."

SOUNDBITE (French), Arnaud DANJEAN (EPP, FR), Rapporteur, "The highly professional work done by our people both military and civilian is something which I can only commend in the strongly possible terms however these people are working in difficult theatres on behalf of the EU and I think that all of us have to face up to the fact that these missions become sort of alibi for the EU's presence."

SOUNDBITE (French), Arnaud DANJEAN (EPP, FR), Rapporteur, "We don't need to be creative or imaginative or daring, all we need to do is carefully analyse what we need in terms of defence and security and all of it is stated in the Treaty. Enhanced , ongoing cooperation, flexibility of our Article 43, mechanisms for solidarity, all of that is clearly exposed by the Treaty."

SOUNDBITE (Slovak), Eduard KUKAN (EPP, SK), Rapporteur, "on the new situation we have to react very quickly so we need to have financial flexibility and there are further problems in that area. We should set up an integrated Service Centre and a System Management procedure. We should have possibilities available to have a CSDP warehouse and missions should have the possibility to avail themselves of them."

SOUNDBITE (English), Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA, EE), Rapporteur, "We are also in a situation in which France has two Mistral Class Warships that have been built but that are now collecting dust since their delivery to Russia would constitute a significant security threat to the EU. Due to underfunding and lack of political will up to now the EU has not been able to purchase these ships. This must change now. These ships would make an effective contribution to the CSDP naval branch and could be used in a variety of ways. For instance they could be of critical help in solving the crisis in the Mediterranean particularly close to the coast of Libya or they could patrol in the Baltic Sea and offer support to the crews laying the north baltic cable."

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Ana GOMES (S&amp;D, PT), Rapporteur, "We need a drastic change in culture for our governments. It is absolutely essential for our Member States under your guidance High Representative to change their attitude to military equipment and provisions and supplies. It is absolutely fundamental for us to invest in polling and sharing and to set out a plan for needs that would correspond to the actual need of all Member States."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, Vice-President of the EC/EU High Representative for CSFP, "We have multiple security challenges that EUrope is facing today and there is no doubt that we need to step up our common efforts in Europe. I would say in one sentence that we need more defence in our European work and we need more European approach in Defence . This is I think the substance of what we are discussing."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, Vice-President of the EC/EU High Representative for CSFP, "We don't need to be imaginative. We need to read the thing that we already know and make them real. This Parliament has calculated that the cost of non Europe in defence amounts to some 26 billion Euros per year , an enormous amount of money especially in these times and even more as we are all politicians in this room, 70% of European citizens support more integration in defence."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, Vice-President of the EC/EU High Representative for CSFP, "Strong competitive European defence industrial base needs more cooperation between member states, more efficient internal market, more robust  security of supplies guaranties, competitive and integrated supply chains and support to research and innovation. A healthy industrial base is indeed key in support of any credible defence policy."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, Vice-President of the EC/EU High Representative for CSFP, "If nothing is done we could face the risk in the longer term of having lower level of technological sophistication due to a lower rates of innovation.We could also face decreasing competitiveness with ultimate loss of capacities and jobs and thus increasing dependence of foreign supplies."