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Is the EU actually heading towards having its own army?

This week the EU and Nato made their first ever joint declaration on security.

ONE PIECE OF literature cited by the official Vote Leave campaign in the run up to the Brexit vote came from a group called ‘Veterans for Britain’.

In a leaflet the group – made up of former high-ranking military personnel – made a pretty definite claim about the future of the UK’s security:

If we stay, the EU is planning the creation of an EU Army. The EU Parliament is in favour of it. This would mean that the UK would lose control of its defence and its international standing would be diminished.

leaflet The leaflet in question Veterans for Britain Veterans for Britain

In the wake of the Leave vote a number of its pre-referendum promises have been called into doubt – with doubts over the £350 million being sent to Europe and Britain’s ability to control its own borders. 

However, with the case of a possible European Army – things are a little bit more complicated.

So are there plans in place for an EU Army?

While there is nothing immediate on the horizon, the EU has been mulling over its security options for a long time.

Back in 1998, then British PM Tony Blair and French president Jacques Chirac bilaterally endorsed the Petersberg tasks – a measure which broadened the circumstances in which the political union can take military action.

In a joint statement on the matter, EU heads of state said that it was agreed that the EU:

Must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and a readiness to do so.

That would seem to be pretty clear about the aims of the EU – and concern about it isn’t just the conservation of leave campaigners.

“Despite plans for the creation of a Common European Army, Irish citizens deeply value our neutrality and oppose any Irish role in the growing militarisation of Europe,” said Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carty ahead of a summit this week to examine further ties between NATO and the EU.

The overlap between the two organisations is significant, with 21 of the EU’s 28 member states members of the military alliance.

20160707_NATO Statistia Statistia

While Carthy called upon Taoiseach Enda Kenny to oppose any closer ties between the two organisations – it would seem they are now coming closer together.

The summit, which took place in Warsaw, Poland during the last two weeks, saw the EU and NATO sign their first ever joint declaration on security, with it stating that the time has come to “give new impetus and new substance to the NATO-EU strategic partnership”.

“It is a blatant contradiction of the principle of Irish neutrality,” said Carthy, “and the wishes of the Irish people who wish Ireland pursue a foreign policy based on peace making and human values.”

So is an EU Army on the horizon?

While bold statements about further cooperation with Nato might raise a few eyebrows, it is unlikely that a fully-fledged EU Army will be a reality any time soon.

Currently, the EU runs six military missions and 11 civilian operations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. However – unlike UN peacekeepers – troops working under the coordination of the EU serve under the banner of their own countries. 

map juil2016

 

Ultimately, decisions on further expansion of EU military power lies in the hands of

In a report on the EU’s Global Strategy at the end of last month, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini notes that the EU has “always prided itself on soft power” and makes no mention of the creation of an EU Army.

Read: Former Nato general warns that the west is risking a nuclear war with Russia

Also: The EU’s economic head honcho doesn’t think the UK will go through with its huge corporate tax cut

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116 Comments
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    Mute Daniel Morrissey
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    Apr 17th 2021, 12:20 AM

    Roll on the 26th change…. yawn…

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    Mute Anna Carr
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    Apr 17th 2021, 12:56 AM

    @Daniel Morrissey: lol. I know how you feel. How many bloomin people over 65 are in the country. They seem to go on forever hahaha

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Apr 17th 2021, 1:12 AM

    @Anna Carr: I don’t know how many. How many people voted Fianna Fáil? In or around that amount.

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    Mute Ger
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    Apr 17th 2021, 3:06 AM

    @Anna Carr: it literally tells you in the article

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Apr 17th 2021, 3:16 AM

    @Ger: ah lighten up ger her comment was tongue in cheek jayus what are you not seeing there?

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Apr 17th 2021, 5:13 AM

    @Daniel Morrissey: well yeah, can’t make them deliver it faster or make it ourselves so that’s what we have to do.

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    Mute Anto Curran
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    Apr 17th 2021, 8:00 AM

    @Peter McGlynn: obsessed with FF. Unless you’re playing an online game where you can try to fit FF into every comments section?

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    Mute Barbara Stewart
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    Apr 17th 2021, 11:55 AM

    @Anna Carr: Sorry for being 69 and delaying your vaccination….I could have said the same about all over 70s but I have a bit more respect!!!

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    Mute Tony Humphreys
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    Apr 17th 2021, 1:54 AM

    You lost me at the word ‘plan’. I always thought they there was only one plan – lockdown. Why do something when you can get away with nothing.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Apr 17th 2021, 5:14 AM

    @Tony Humphreys: well you thought wrong and then refused to think about it anymore

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    Mute Keith Richardson
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    Apr 17th 2021, 1:54 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: well there is no published plan on reopening. I’m sure there’s one on a desk somewhere. If people were treated like adults and told this then there would be increased confidence.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Apr 18th 2021, 5:32 AM

    @Keith Richardson: no, if there was a widely publicised plan with an unpredictable pandemic and unreliable delivery schedules any changes would undermine the confidence you claim it would bring.

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    Mute Tarraing Mo Liathróidí
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    Apr 17th 2021, 8:02 AM

    The fact we still likely won’t restart tourism and hospitality till June or July is just mind boggling, especially given the fact MM despite some who said it was lies when I pointed out that leaky Leo said the same thing, that he can’t say we won’t go into another lockdown after this one. And given the fact the hse management seem to have done nothing except allow the waiting list balloon and get themselves a pay rise, any extra surge from even a few covid cases over the winter months makes this likely since they now have a great excuse to cover up they barely cope any winter before covid hit. So this means a lot of small businesses and retail included as well may only have a small window to open and make some much needed money, meanwhile north will be full steam ahead open end of May.

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    Mute Siobhan Rosemary
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    Apr 17th 2021, 8:35 AM

    So the AstraZeneca isnt safe to use on under 60s but is safe for under 60s who received 1st dose?? Think il pass on the second thanks. Back of the que I go lol

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Apr 18th 2021, 5:34 AM

    @Siobhan Rosemary: that silly. 1 in a million died of a blood clot that nobody knew to be looking for. That’s different now. 12 in a million died of covid here and doctors were definitely looking for it.

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    Mute K Flan
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    Apr 17th 2021, 11:26 AM

    2 more weeks to flatten the curve

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Apr 18th 2021, 5:35 AM

    @K Flan: the curve is flattened. Sadly the base rate is still over 300 cases per day.

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    Mute Sean Callan
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    Apr 17th 2021, 7:26 AM

    Boring boring boring all this lot has to offer

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