The EU Navy has set sail. December 9th 2008.
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We worried about an EU Army, and forgot to look at what was going on by stealth. We look at what is taking place by stealth and forgot to look up at the sky to see the EU Air force in action. The phantom force, and we were told there was no need of a referendum.
The EU, for the first time in its history sets out its EU Navy. (Did YOU know there was an EU navy?) Not bad for what was put forward as a "Common Market" for trade. The UK Navy is taking part. Also for the first time in the history after the Falklands war, the Islands will have no UK naval protection, because we do not have enough ships to go round.
Now tell me by what Legal Base the EU is using for this Action? Which Treaty has been used? IT certainly cannot be Lisbon. When were the people given a "SAY" on this grave constitutional move to commit our forces to this action under the command of the EU?
They believe here below, the legal base is sufficient. What happens if one of these ships is blown out of the water? I remind you all that we can no longer afford a ship to protect the Falkland Islands, but we can obviously afford to take part in this operation that not one Politician has had the guts to tell the people, until the operation had got underway and even then we had to read it in our Newspapers. What kind of people have we voted for in our own British Parliament eh?
The articles quoted have had to be dug deep from out of the Maastricht Treaty. I looked at consolidated version. Do our own politicians really believe that, that was strong enough to use to send our troops to Somalia? When NATO was already there? When the countless time we have all been told there will be no EU Army, or EU Navy or EU Air Force.
When debating Lisbon however, it is similar to the TEU. For goodness sake please read it all.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmfaff/120/12010.htm#a35
Point 213, Dr Solana similarly affirmed that "structured cooperation" would be inconceivable without the United Kingdom, which is at the core of our security and defence capability. Structured cooperation will increase the defence capabilities and efficiency of the European Union, so [the UK's] presence or absence will be a yes or no—it will not happen without [the UK]. That is very clear to me. [
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The whole of that debate is on.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmfaff/120/12002.htm
| (30040) — — | Council Joint Action: EU Military operation to contribute to the deterrence and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia |
| Legal base | Articles 14, 25(3) and 28(3) EU; unanimity |
| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office |
| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 14 October 2008 and EM of 17 October 2008 |
| Previous Committee Report | None; but see (29953) —: HC16-xxxiii (2007-08), chapter 19 (8 October 2008) |
| To be discussed in Council | To be determined |
| Committee's assessment | Politically important |
| Committee's decision | Cleared, but further information requested |
Background
10.1 International concern over the problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia has increased in 2008. The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution (UNSCR) 1816 (2008) in June which encouraged "States interested in the use of commercial maritime routes off the coast of Somalia, to increase and coordinate their efforts to deter acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea". Then, on 7 October, the Security Council unanimously adopted UNSCR 1838, which was initiated by France and co-sponsored by 19 countries (Belgium, Croatia, the US, UK, Italy, Panama, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Greece, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Korea and Singapore). According to the French government, it "underscores the growing threat of pirates acting off the Somali coast using increasingly sophisticated and violent means, expanding the scope of their actions and affecting commercial shipping, pleasure boating and now fishing [and] the need for the international community to act, and on the basis of SCR 1816 and the Law of the Sea, to use force if necessary to counter such acts", and "stresses the need for the international community to implement resolutions 1814 and 1816 and hails the EU's efforts to establish a unit to coordinate European national forces in the area within the framework of the ESDP."[33]
10.2 On 8 October we cleared a draft Joint Action designed to facilitate EU Military Coordination Action in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1816 (2008). That Joint Action recalled that on 26 May the Council noted the adverse effects of the increase in piracy along the Somali coast not only upon humanitarian but also on general international maritime traffic, as well as upon the effectiveness of UN arms embargoes in the region, and endorsed initiatives by certain Member States in offering protection to the UN World Food Programme; and on 5 August subsequently endorsed the notion of an EU "crisis management" contribution in support of UNSCR 1816.
10.3 The outcome — the previous Joint Action on Military Coordination Action — establishes a military coordination cell (four military officers working from Brussels) tasked to assist Member States' activities in support of UNSCR 1816: Member States would notify the cell of ships or other assets that they will send to the waters off Somalia (or which may already be there), and the cell would work to coordinate the effect that those assets can deliver, while the Member States retain individual national control of anything they decide to provide.
10.4 The primary objective of the coordination cell was described in an Explanatory Memorandum of 16 September 2008 by the then Minister for Europe (Mr Jim Murphy) as being to coordinate ships from EU Member States escorting World Food Programme (WFP) shipping bringing humanitarian aid to Somalia. The coordination cell would also be tasked to liaise with the United Nations, as well as other international organisations and actors in the region, in order to secure and provide information on complementary activity. The WFP had made it clear that they would be unable to continue their assistance without such EU support. The then Minister regarded the cell (€15,000 per month, from the existing CFSP budget) as "a low cost and effective way to support delivery of humanitarian assistance".
10.5 In clearing the Joint Action, we noted that, in separate letters to us prior to and after the 15 September GAERC, the Minister mentioned, first, that "the Council will also discuss potential next steps on EU activity to tackle piracy more generally in the region" and, then, that as well as agreeing, "in conjunction with UNSR 1816, to establish a coordination unit in Brussels to support EU Partners' activities carried out off the Somali coast", the Council also "approved a strategic military option for a possible European Union naval operation in the future." We accordingly asked to be given an indication of what those potential next steps might be and what the "strategic military option" might entail.[34]
The Minister's letter of 14 October 2008
10.6 The new Minister for Europe at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Caroline Flint) begins her response by referring to the planning of potential EU activities towards a counter piracy operation off the coast of Somalia, "in the light of the worrying increase in the number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the region and the consequent rapid pace of developments within the EU in response". Against this background, the Minister says that the UK remains committed to international action to counter piracy effectively in the region, and continues as follows:
"In addition to existing and ongoing consultation with maritime organisations, effective prevention measures (for example urging the importance of compliance with notices to mariners) and our existing contribution to counter-piracy activity by the multinational Combined Task Force 150[35] in the Gulf of Aden, the UK continues its effort to tackle on land the causes of piracy in Somalia, the only long term solution to this problem.
"But more now needs to be done. In the light of recent developments in the region, and also in response to UN Security Council Resolutions 1816 and 1838, EU member states have agreed that planning should proceed towards a potential operation on the basis of a mission designed to protect shipping in the region, including World Food Programme shipping to Somalia, other humanitarian shipping to Somalia, European flagged ships in the Area of Operations and other flagged ships, as well as creating an additional presence in the Gulf of Aden for deterrence and surveillance of piracy. The operation would be envisaged to last for one year from launch, starting once EU planning has finished — possibly as early as December, but subject to final ministerial decisions."
10.7 The Minister says that, since her predecessor's letter of 16 September on the 15 Sept GAERC, EU military planners conducted a fact finding mission to the region and "refined the Military Strategic Option to which he referred", which "has given EU Member States sufficient confidence to agree to move forward to the next stage of planning". She explains that the Military Strategic Option will be developed into an operational plan once the Operation Commander has been appointed and his Operations Headquarters established:
"To be clear, no Council decision to implement the operation will be taken until after the Operation Commander's proposed Operation Plan is agreed and sufficient forces to implement the operation have been generated."
10.8 The Minister also notes that:
"Our support for further planning, with full co-ordination and co-operation with other international and national actors in the region (for example CTF 150 and now probably also NATO for an interim period until the EU operation begins), will be dependent upon the need for the smallest possible scale command structure, not least to ensure that the operation is affordable and constructed in a cost effective way to ensure it remains that way."
"To signal the UK's commitment to making a success of this operation, MOD Ministers have agreed that the UK should offer to provide the Operation Commander and Operation Headquarters, at the multinational facilities alongside PJHQ at Northwood",[36] which offer was subsequently accepted by the Political and Security Committee.
10.9 The Minister concludes by undertaking to continue to keep the Committee updated on the progress of planning and preparations for this potential operation.
The further Joint Action
10.10 In the meantime, having noted in her letter that the next stage of planning activity — the appointment of an Operation Commander and Operation Headquarters — requires a Joint Action, the Minister has now forwarded the initial outline draft, which she says has just been made available, with an accompanying Explanatory Memorandum of 17 October 2008. She says that, although only the initial draft is currently available, and further details need to be added, she does not expect radical changes in the overall content.
10.11 The Minister reiterates the background to, purpose and proposed nature of the operation on the same lines as in her letter. The first draft of the Joint Action was, she says, circulated on 13 October, in French only, and that there have not yet been any further versions; that to maintain momentum in the planning process and to maintain the possibility of a launch of the operation in December, the Presidency wishes to agree the Joint Action as soon as possible; that this document therefore outlines the key features of the Joint Action; and that an updated version of the draft will be forwarded as soon as possible. She further notes that the current draft does not yet include any financial details or the names of the Operation Headquarters or Operation Commander:
"Of foremost importance, the Joint Action will cover two key aspects to enable planning for the operation to proceed to the next stage: the appointment of the Operation Headquarters and the Operation Commander, and the costing ceiling for the planned ESDP mission."
The Government's view
10.12 The Minister again notes the considerable international concern over the problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia, reflected by the UN Security Council Resolutions, the earlier EU coordination action and limited counter-piracy activity undertaken within available capacity by the multinational coalition Combined Task Force 150, based in Bahrain. As of 1 October, she says, 15 ships and 350 hostages had been taken off the coast of Somalia. She again refers to the signal of the UK's commitment to making a success of the ESDP operation and deal effectively with piracy denoted by the offer to provide the Operation Commander and Operation Headquarters at the multinational facilities alongside the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) at Northwood. Once appointed and his Operation Headquarters established, the Operation Commander will take forward detailed operational planning and then force generation: again the Minister emphasises that "No Council decision to begin the operation will be taken until after the Operation Commander's proposed Operational Plan is agreed and sufficient forces to implement the operation have been generated".
10.13 On the financial implications, the Minister says that
"The initial financial costings estimates have not yet been made available by the Secretariat, but the UK has made clear already that it will accept only minimal common costs for an operation of this nature. On the basis of initial consultations, we expect that that the UK share of common costs for this financial year will be less than £1million. We will provide financial estimates once these have been established."
10.14 Finally, the Minister says that she expects the Joint Action to be adopted by written procedure no later than 24 October.
Conclusion
10.15 We are grateful to the Minister for this information, limited as it is by the fact that the text available to us is in French. We look forward to having from the Minister the earliest possible agreed version, in English, and then a fuller explanation of what has been agreed at this stage. We should particularly like to know if the offer to provide the Operation Commander and Operation Headquarters at the multinational facilities alongside the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) at Northwood has been accepted by the Council, who has been made Operation Commander and what figure has been agreed for the Common Costs and for the costing ceiling for the planned ESDP mission.
10.16 We should also like to know when the Minister expects the Operational Plan to be agreed, and when she thinks she will be able to let us have details and her views of it.
10.17 We should particularly like to know precisely what command and control arrangements are proposed, and how they will interact with national command structures as well as those of the CTF 150 and NATO. We should also like to know what UK and other military assets are likely to be involved, and what the proposed rules of engagement are, particularly with regard to the pirates' equipment and to the treatment of captured pirates. If answers to any of these questions can be provided ahead of the depositing of the Council Decision itself, we encourage the Minister to let us have them.
10.18 We also note that the French government website refers to France, in conjunction with the United States, "having begun discussions this week in the UNSC aimed at adopting, as quickly as possible, a resolution specifically dedicated to combating piracy", which "first aims to organize, from the high seas, a right of pursuit into territorial waters of signatory states, when caught in the act", and which might include "the possibility of having a dissuasive approach, in the form of patrols through those areas most exposed to piracy."[37] We should be grateful if the Minister would let us have the Government's views of these wider issues relating to piracy that this prospective further resolution would seem to be seeking to address.
10.19 Looking ahead, we also expect that, the Presidency's desires "to maintain momentum" notwithstanding, the draft Council Decision will be submitted, in English and in good time for proper scrutiny, with a full explanation of what is then proposed and, at least, firm estimates of the overall cost of the operation and of UK participation.
10.20 In the meantime we clear the document.
My Comments See underlined part of conclusion. This sounds as if the EU is already in control of our Navy here, just as if LISBON has been ratified by all member state-YET THEY HAVE NOT.
33 See http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france-priorities_1/organized-criminality_1935/maritime-piracy_6553/adoption-of-unscr-1838-07.10.08_11982.html Back
34 See headnote: (29953) -: HC16-xxxiii (2007-08), chapter 19 (8 October 2008) Back
35 Combined Task Force 150 is described US Naval Forces Central Command as "established near the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom, conducts Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. MSO help develop security in the maritime environment, which promotes stability and global prosperity. These operations complement the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material. Since its inception, CTF 150 has been commanded by France, Netherlands, UK and Pakistan and Canada. Danish Royal Navy Commodore Per Bigum Christensen currently commands CTF 150." See http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/command/ctf150.html for full information. Back
36 The Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) was established in April 1996 to enhance the operational effectiveness and efficiency of UK-led joint, potentially joint and multi-national operations, and to exercise operational command of UK forces assigned to multinational operations led by others. See http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/DoctrineOperationsandDiplomacy/PJHQ/ for full information. Back
37 See http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france-priorities_1/organized-criminality_1935/maritime-piracy_6553/index.html Back
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmeuleg/16-xxxii/01612.htm
European Community assistance to Somalia on
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmeuleg/16-xxxii/01609.htm End
See this site, and please note, I am having great difficulty in keeping my thoughts to myself. Anne
http://www.assembly-weu.org/en/documents/sessions_ordinaires/rpt/2005/1916.php
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And here are a few remarks what our new Foreign Minister who can decide what our Forces can do. A late rushed decision, an opportunity seized because of the circumstances? By using Articles TEU NOW, why have they not dared to use them before?
If the decision was only made here recently, our Parliament could not really have debated this thoroughly, no matter what the alleged 'legal base'. Anne
Summary of remarks by EUHR Solana to EU Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairs of Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees of National Parliaments
Summary: 5 November 2008, Brussels - Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), addressed today the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament and the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees of the National Parliaments on recent developments concerning the main issues on the international agenda.
The following is an edited summary of Mr Solana’s introductory remarks:
Mr. Chairman,
Thank you for inviting me once again to address you in the European Parliament. I am happy to speak at this joint meeting of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee with the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees of the National Parliaments.
I spoke to most of you, National Parliamentarians, in Paris in late July at the COFACC - and to you, Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, in Brussels in early September. But it is true that, at the speed with which events are taking place, two or three months can look like an eternity.
Mr Chairman,
Barack Obama will be the new President of the United States. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly congratulate him on what we can call an historic victory. President-elect Obama has run on a platform of change and I think that this should be very welcome. There are many things in the world that will have to be changed. My core message to you, to the American People and to the citizens of Europe is that we have to try to do this together. Elections are always about renewal. The stakes are very high and we have to formulate a common agenda. And what is more important: to implement it together.
Much has happened in the last period of time. Not least yesterday's historic US elections, but also the global financial crisis, which is shaping the international landscape in profound ways. This is a global problem and therefore requires a global solution. The European Union has shown leadership but we have to maintain our attention focussed. The financial crisis will accelerate what has already been taking place in the world for some time, that is a shift of power from the West to the East. The financial crisis has also shown that we need stronger global institutions. Therefore we need to change the formats of these institutions and bring new powers around the table.
However, I would like to stress that these new challenges of the financial and economic crisis should not make us forget the old agenda: climate change, non-proliferation, poverty, many of the things that have been with us for some time. They remain on the agenda and we must continue to work to find solutions for them.
Mr Chairman, let me now turn to some urgent foreign policy issues.
In recent days and weeks, we have seen dramatic events in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A real human tragedy is taking place there. Over the last years, the EU has been very much engaged in that country and has invested a lot in peace and stability in DRC, a country of great importance for the overall stability of Africa.
I have spoken to all key players and leaders looking for a solution to this crisis, including President Kabila, President Kagame of Rwanda, the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Mr Ping, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon.
The UN and the African Union are the key actors. The efforts that we have been undertaking recently in cooperation with the French Presidency and the summit that will take place in Nairobi next Friday are crucial. The EU stands ready to assist as best as it can: on the humanitarian front, also politically. I will see the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Sharm el-Sheik in the margins of the Quartet meeting this weekend. The EU has been working on potential actions in order to find a solution to this crisis and we will continue to be engaged.
Another point I want to raise is Somalia. Almost every day we hear about new acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia. This is the reason why the EU has decided to launch an ESDP naval operation. It will be the first naval operation under the ESDP. The operational planning is now taking place at the Operational HQ in Northwood (UK), under the authority of a British Rear Admiral. We aim to launch it in December. The operation will contribute to the implementation of UNSC resolutions 1814 and 1816, assist in deterring piracy and escort World Food Program shipping. We will cooperate closely with all actors involved in the region.
Let me stress that action against piracy cannot replace support to the political process in Somalia. The ceasefire agreed among the parties should take effect as of today. I have called on all Somalis and all countries involved and the Arab League to join this process.
Mr. Chairman,
Since I was here last time, in late September, Georgia has been very, very high on the EU agenda. As you know, we are active on the diplomatic front. We play a leading role in the Geneva talks and we hope that the next round foreseen for 18/19 November will be constructive. But, as you know, we are also present on the ground, with more than 200 monitors. Our monitoring mission deployed in record time, honouring our side of the commitments of 8 September agreement reached in Moscow. The deployment of the EU Monitoring Mission led to the swift withdrawal of Russian forces from the "adjacent areas" to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It was a very important step, allowing many internally displaced people to return.
These two elements, the political one and the one on the ground demonstrate that the EU has achieved concrete results. We will continue to push for further progress, step by step, in close coordination with our partners - particularly the UN and the OSCE. Of course, there is still a lot to be done. Maintaining unity inside the EU and commitment to our principles remains essential.
This brings me to our relations with Russia. It is clear that EU-Russia relations have been affected by the Georgian crisis. You will remember that the special European Council of 1 September asked the Commission and the Council Secretariat to produce a review of were we stand with Russia. Our paper is factual. The recommendations will be for the Council. It will be up to the Foreign Ministers at the GAERC meeting on Monday to discuss them, as part of the preparations for the EU-Russia Summit in Nice on 14 November.
Although we are at a critical juncture with Russia, there is no alternative to a strong relationship. We need Russia as much as Russia needs the EU and that is why contacts are ongoing. I was in St. Petersburg recently at a Foreign Minister's meeting with Russia. We had frank but open talks with Foreign Minister Lavrov.
Let me now move on to the Western Balkans. In Kosovo our top priority is the deployment of EULEX throughout the territory of Kosovo. We hope very much that our mission will be deployed by early December. As you know, we have a very intense dialogue with Belgrade, underlining that the mission constitutes the best guarantee for the Rule of Law and the protection of the Serb community in Kosovo. We also want to see how we can get Serbia closer to the EU. Serbia is making good progress on the road to the European Union. The report released today by the European Commission says how much progress has been made. The SAA has not yet been implemented but the ideas are there and we hope now that Serbia will prove full cooperation with ICTY and that the report to be presented by the prosecutor in December will be positive.
A word about Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are concerned about the current political situation and the type of statements coming from some political leaders. Extreme nationalism is coming back. We have to be very careful about that. We want Bosnia and Herzegovina to move closer to the European Union. But let me make this point very clear: they must comply with what was agreed with us and what was agreed in Dayton. We will have a debate about Bosnia and Herzegovina next Monday. As you know the office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina may have to move into a new structure. We hope that we will have the possibility of doing so next year.
Let me also say a few words about the Middle East. There will be a Quartet ministerial meeting in Egypt next weekend. It will provide an opportunity to analyse the situation in view of the US elections and to see how we can move the process forward. We have a complex picture with elections in Israel in February and a change in the US administration. But we do not have time to waste and I hope that the new administration will not spare a day in helping to find a solution.
Last week I visited the Gulf region and Syria. I have been in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Syria. The economic and political context in which we are living, makes it necessary to construct deep relations with the countries of the region.
In Syria there are signs of change and signs of hope after the decisions taken by the President. We hope that this will continue and have an impact on the overall region, in particular Lebanon, where elections are to be held in 2009.
Turning to Afghanistan. The situation there is complex and difficult both in terms of security and governance. The year 2009 will be an important year. We have to work together with the US taking into consideration Pakistan. The EU is increasingly active in Afghanistan, including our police mission, EUPOL Afghanistan, with 160 additional international personnel to be deployed to reinforce the mission, starting in December. With a new Head of EUPOL and a new EUSR, in total cooperation with UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Kai Eide, we hope we will be able to move the process forward with our partners and the Afghans themselves.
Mr. Chairman,
I think we have many more issues that we would like to discuss together, but I think that these are the most acute problems on the table right now. As I said at the beginning we are at a very historical moment, one of hope but also one of crisis. The current economic crisis will probably last for some time. We will have to see how we will tackle this because it will also have consequences on the foreign policy agenda. We will have to work with all the important actors, the United States and other countries, as well as with international organisations. Global problems require global solutions.
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for your attention.
After his introductory speech, the High Representative participated in a debate with MEPs and MPs, that focussed on the following subjects: the Western Balkans, Georgia, EU-Russia relations, Central Asia, transatlantic relations, Africa, in particular the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia, the Middle-East, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Union for the Mediterranean, the review process of the European Security Strategy, the current financial crisis and EU-NATO relations.
Ref: SP08-173EN
EU source: Council
UN forum:
Date: 5/11/2008
http://www.europa-eu-un.org/articles/en/article_8274_en.htm
MEPs to vote on a resolution on sea piracy
16-10-2008 - 10:10
On Thursday 23 October, the House will vote on a resolution on sea piracy following the debate that took place on 23 September 2008. At the EU defence summit of 2 October, EU Ministers agreed that military contributions to maritime surveillance will be consolidated to respond to intensified illicit trafficking and acts of piracy. The minister’s proposal to create a European maritime surveillance network received support.
The planning of an EU military naval operation to fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia will be accelerated.
Speaking in the debate Geoffrey Van Orden (EPP-ED, UK) said: "You may recall that in the days when Britain truly had an ethical foreign policy, the Royal Navy swept the oceans clear of pirates. It blew them out of the water and we got rid of the slave trade as well.
Now we seem helpless. Our navies have been run down and we are frightened to act lest we fall foul of some aspect of human rights legislation, or become embroiled in lengthy judicial procedures.
The EU response is to try and invent another military operation by setting up a committee, a so-called EU coordination cell, which says it will coordinate military operations in the seas off the Horn of Africa. But, there is already a military operation in those waters. It is Combined Task Force 150, involving the US Fifth Fleet and warships from other NATO navies, led by a Dane at the moment."
Motion for a resolution
Vote : 23.10.2008
The UK is signatory to the Venice Platform Declaration. On
http://www.eucc.net/veniceplatform/Venice_Platform_Declaration.pdf
Thirty maritime, marine and coastal organisations and networks have committed themselves to the creation a common European platform. At the Littoral 2008 conference in Venice, Friday 28 November, the “Venice Declaration” was signed by representatives of 30 organisations and national networks. The “Venice Platform” is intended to offer an improved dialogue and cooperation between existing maritime, marine and coastal networks, representing stakeholders in the fields of science, technology, industry, management, policy and users of the coastal and marine environment.
The Venice Platform aims to contribute to developing interactions between partners (Member States, regional authorities, the research community, industry and other stakeholders) and it will support the future EU Maritime Policy, e.g. through the development and implementation of an ambitious European Strategy and programme on maritime, marine and coastal research.
To this end the Venice Platform Declaration has adopted the following objectives:
providing a forum for dialogue with the Commission on the development and implementation of the maritime policy;
providing a forum for dialogue with the Commission on the development and implementation of an underlying maritime research policy supporting the necessary funding mechanisms, specialised infrastructures, data collection and information management and capacity building essential to manage our on-going relationship with the oceans and seas;
taking better advantage of the widespread and diverse knowledge, experience and information existing in the European communities of maritime, marine and coastal professionals; the Platform will therefore foster cooperation and sharing of networking activities, aiming in particular at transferring knowledge, experience and information across existing networks.
Until the formal inauguration of the Venice Platform, EUCC – Coastal & Marine Union, with the support of ENCORA and CORILA, will serve as its provisional Secretariat. It will operate four regional nodes connecting to the regional seas: Leiden (EUCC International), Venice (CORILA), Barcelona (EUCC Mediterranean Centre), and Warnemünde (EUCC Germany).
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Last but certainly not least, I thank John Gouriet for these important points. Anne
1. As far as I am aware there has been no specific debate in Parliament to approve RN participation in anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast.
2. HMG has therefore taken upon itself to deploy one or more British warships as part of an EU task force, commanded by a British officer.
3. The Indian Ocean/Arabian Sea is far outside any EU or NATO territorial waters. Although some of the ships on passage through these waters may be European owned (eg Greece) and insured and their cargos may be destined for European ports, many are not.
4. The very existence of an EU navy has long been denied, so what is the EU doing flexing its military muscles? It is not self-defence and it is not, as far as I am aware, at the behest of the UN. The Somali pirates present only a limited threat to commercial shipping off their coast as once did privateers in the West Indies and highwaymen to stage coaches in 18th Century England, and for the same reason - booty and ransom.
5. The answer, as I pointed out in the Telegraph on 18 November, is for shipping companies to coordinate convoys under an escort ship, deploy armed guards on board and steer a wider course.
6. The escort could be provided (one frigate at each end of the danger zone) by all concerned nations including the US.
7. To me the Somali pirates appear to be being seized on as an opportunity by the EU to extend its military ambitions to the ocean and as far as UK is concerned this should not be at the expense of deserting our naval protection of the Falklands. One RFA with minimal defensive capability is little more of a deterrent to potential Argentinian ambition than was the research vessel Discovery prior to their invasion in 1982. The Royal Navy has now been reduced to 22 vessels from 65. Its frigates are ageing but intended to remain commissioned for another 20 years' service and the proposed new aircraft carriers may well be postponed in the present climate.
8. We are being stealthily emasculated on land, sea and in the air while our forces are subjected to unrelenting overstretch, usually in theatres where we should not be. Meanwhile our police, especially when they are equipped with 33,000 tasers, appear to be progressing towards the adoption of a militia role to protect the politicians from any serious public protest. Instead of the thin blue line that kept extremists at bay in the 1970s are we to have a new 'Brownshirt' constabulary reinforced by Europol? It is a truly frightening prospect. End
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If we remain in this European Union, you can kiss goodbye to singing “Rule Britannia” ever again. For it will be the EU that will have its Motorway in the sea, and probably all the way down to the Falkland Islands too. Anne
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