A European army would be a military force, supported and financed by the EU member states, acting directly under the authority of the European Union. Its aim would be to ensure collective security to Member States at the hands of interference by a Great Power outside the EU. A European army has been long-desired by many of the EU member states. In 1948, the Western Union Defence Organization (WUDO) was created; it was the defence arm of the Western Union was the precursor to the Western European Union (WEU) and to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In 1950, a plan called “The European Defense Community” was proposed, with the aim to form a pan-European defense force to protect European countries in case of conflict with USSR. The treaty was signed in 1952 but never went into effect. Since the fifties, many separate international forces revolving around the EU’s defence have been created.
http://europe.idebate.org/debatabase/debates/constitutional-governance/house-would-create-single-european-union-army
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STATE OF PLAY
Despite many attempts and the deepening of a Common Security and Defence Policy, an EU army does not exist and military defence has remained the domain of nation states. The Treaty of Lisbon states in its article 42 that: “The common security and defence policy shall include the progressive framing of a common defence policy. This will lead to a common defence, when the European Council, acting unanimously, so decides.” Hence, a minimum number of member states can deepen integration within the EU, but the reluctant member states do not have to participate. On 20 February 2009, the European Parliament also voted in favour of the creation of Synchronized Armed Forces Europe (SAFE) as a first step towards a forming a true European military force. In 2012, an EU army still does not exist and does not seem to be a priority. There have however been a number of defence initiatives, peacekeeping operations and organizations established in the context of the European Union (EU).
CURRENT DEBATE
The creation of an EU army has always been complicated. Member states usually do not want to give up their sovereignty and there is a lack of political will. Many forces already exist and out of the 27 EU member states, 21 are also members of NATO. An EU army does not appear as a necessity and can even spread confusion given the number of existing military forces and organizations. It could actually make the EU more coherent and unified, but the difficult of conciliating the interests of 27 countries. The nature of this army is also discussed: what would be its role? Peacekeeping or also offering humanitarian aid after natural disasters and famines? Besides, member states would contribute to the financing according to their means, but then, what about the leadership? In 2008 and 2009 the European Parliament voted with a large resolution proposing that Eurocorps (an independent military force composed of 60,000 troops that can be deployed for various missions) should become the standing army of the EU, under EU command. France, United Kingdom and Germany support the creation of an EU army.
FEDERALIST PERSPECTIVE & PROPOSAL
The federalists support the creation of an EU army. They think that Europe should have its army to conduct military operations and seize the opportunity to increase added value in European defence and to guarantee Europe’s strategic autonomy. They welcomed “the provisions on structured cooperation by a group of Member States, in order to forge, inter alia, a common defence, including the pooling of military spending and the incremental integration of their defence capabilities, which should be put at the permanent disposal of the UN, and to bestow on them a permanent seat in the UN Security Council”. They are in favour of pooling and sharing of military capabilities, to reduce the costs and to unite the European Union.
REFERENCES
- About Common Security and Defence Policy, Council of the European Union website: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/eeas/security-defence
- "UK defence minister supports EU army", EU Observer, 27 October 2008: http://euobserver.com/13/27000
- "Germany speaks out in favour of European army", EU Observer, 8 February 2010: http://euobserver.com/9/29426
- "Eurocorps: future European army or missed attempt?", The New Federalists, 13 July 2008: http://www.thenewfederalist.eu/Eurocorps-future-European-army-or-missed-attempt
- "European Army: De Gaulle's Alternative", The Magazine US: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,817685,00.html
- Treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the French Republic for Defence and Security Cooperation:http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/3706546/3892733/21824849/TrFrance1.2010DefenceSec
- "Making the European Union Capable for Action", Union of European Federalists, 28 March 2010: http://www.federalists.eu/uef/news/making-the-european-union-capable-for-action/
- "Resolution on European External Action Service", Union of European Federalists, 28 March 2010:http://www.federalists.eu/uef/news/resolution-on-foreign-security-and-defence-policy/
- "The Franco-British Defence Deal: A first move towards a European Army?", federalists.cafebabel.com, 4 November 2010:http://federalists.cafebabel.com/en/post/2010/11/04/The-Franco-British-Defence-Deal%3A-A-first-move-towards-a-European-Army
- "Towards a European Army", The New Federalist, 21 July 2007: http://www.thenewfederalist.eu/Towards-a-European-army
Vacancy notice EDA/2013/108a (Agency’s Seconded National Expert)














