EU aims to consolidate military

BRUSSELS. The EU’s executive yesterday threw its support behind Franco-German plans to integrate Europe’s militaries and defence industries, offering money and co-ordination to build up depleted forces heavily reliant on the US.

Spurred by Britain’s decision to leave the EU, Brussels has seized on deeper military ties proposed last year by France and Germany to show its citizens the bloc is still relevant and can provide security in the face of Islamist militant attacks.

“Defence and security is one of the fields through which we can re-launch the European Union,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said.

Failings in Europe’s bombing campaign in Libya in 2011 and Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea have reignited EU defence plans that date back to the 1950s.

“This is not about creating an EU army,” European Commission vice-president Jyrki Katainen told reporters. “Nato does not have a Nato army,” he said, stressing that Western military alliances are formed by national forces working together. Reuters