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UK wins race for heading EU defence agency

01 January 2004

The race between France and the UK to become the first leader of the EU's Defence Agency Team - set up to streamline and enhance defence procurement - has been won by the UK, when EU High Representative Javier Solana named Nick Witney, currently Director-General for international security policy at the UK Ministry of Defence. The Agency, that will be officially launched in June this year will develop defence capabilities in the field of "crisis management" (foreign intervention), enhance European armaments co-operation and identify policies to strengthen the European defence industrial and technological base. Solana decision was the end of a fight between France and the UK over who would lead the new agency. This result was not without political significance as Britain does not want the agency to be focused solely on a "buy European" policy but have a whole range of tasks promoting defence research and capabilities in Atlantic co-operation. France favours creating an independent European capability supported by a strong industrial base. Informally it has been agreed that Witney should be replaced after three years by a Frenchman. But of course the first head of the agency will shape its statute and have decisive influence on direction and scope of the new body. As a form of compensation a French general will take the command of the 140 strong EU military staff in March., responsible for strategic planning of European military operations.

euractiv.com 29.1.04; Reuters 27.1.04 (Yves Clarisse); Le Monde 28.1.04 (Laurent Zecchini); Libération 16.2.2004 (Jean-Dominique Merchet)