Security and Defence: Europe must shoulder new responsibilities together

The EPP Group in the European Parliament has welcomed today's Communication by the European Commission on security and defence. "This is a valuable contribution to the EU summit on defence in December. There are quite a few reasons for a good deal of European burden-sharing: uncoordinated cuts in national defence budgets; a new strategic focus of the US; and America's call on Europe to take care of security in its own neighbourhood", said the European Parliament Rapporteur on the European Defence Base, Michael Gahler MEP.

"I will present my draft Report on the future of the European Defence Base on 23 September in Brussels. It will contain a call for a Defence Review and a European White Paper on Security and Defence. I believe it is vital for Council President Van Rompuy to actively prepare the Defence Summit in December so that it can help strengthen the Common Security and Defence Policy and the European Defence Base", said the EPP Group MEP.