asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government favours the establishment of an EEC policy on arms production; and if it is the intention of the Government to comply with all such policies.
Written Answers . - EEC Arms Production Policy .
75.
: There is at present no EEC policy on arms production. The European Parliament at its plenary session in June debated the report prepared by Mr. Egon Klepsch, rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliament, on European co-operation in arms procurement. It also adopted by a majority vote a resolution calling on the Commission of the European Communities to draw up a European programme of action on conventional armaments production. The Klepsch report situated the question of co-operation in arms production in the context of greater co-operation in the industrial policy of the Communities. Ireland has consistently supported the development of a comprehensive Community industrial policy embracing, inter alia, the introduction of measures which would stimulate industrial investment in the weaker, less industrialised regions. Moreover we have insisted that sectoral policies for particular industries must not be applied without full account being taken of the regional impact of those policies. There are many areas of both industrial and regional policy, where we feel urgent and much needed progress must be made and which call for early action on the part of the Community, but we would not consider arms production to be one of these areas. We feel, therefore, that consideration of this matter is premature at present while further progress is still outstanding on the vital aspects of the balanced development of the European Community.
Since there is at present no common policy of the members of the European Community on arms procurement, the second part of the Deputy's question does not arise.