Written Answers - Common European Armaments Policy.
Seamus Kirk
Ceist:
35
Mr. Kirk
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he will respond to recent reports that there is growing support in the European Union for the establishment of a common armaments policy in Europe with a view to supporting the ailing arms industry; and if the Government is supportive of such an initiative.
[2366/96]
The question of the establishment of a common armaments policy in Europe has arisen many times over the years in a number of different contexts. It has arisen in the context of the completion of the single market and the EU's industry and common commercial policies; in the context of foreign policy co-operation in the framework of the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP); and in the context of proposals to develop European co-operation in the security and defence fields. Consideration of this issue and its implications has always been complicated and difficult, as it touches directly on some sensitive policy areas for EU member states, in particular in relation to national security and defence policies, export policies, and economic and employment policies.
The absence of a common armaments policy reflects, among other things, the fact that under the provisions of Article 223 of the Treaty of Rome, any member state "may take such measures as it considers necessary for the protection of the essential interests of its security which are connected with the production of or trade in arms, munitions and war material". One effect of this provision has been to permit member states to exempt arms procurement from the rules of the internal market.
The question of a possible common armaments policy has evoked renewed interest, primarily against the background of three developments. The first relates to the well documented decline in demand for and production of defence equipment throughout the world. This is a welcome development which reflects not only the end of the Cold War but also the development and implementation of disarmament and arms control agreements. Ireland has worked actively to promote and support such agreements and we will continue to work for reduction in the levels of weapons stockpiles. Within the European Union, this downward trend in arms production and trade has, however, given rise to severe employment challenges. The Commission has noted that the global arms market has been practically halved in the last decade and that employment in the defence industry within the EU has declined in recent years by over 600,000, to its current level of one million — a drop of 37 per cent. The Commission has also noted that this has particularly impacted on certain regions within the EU. The annual output of the defence industry within the EU still represents nearly 3 per cent of the EU's total industrial output and it remains a major source of employment and economic activity in a number of EU member states.
The second development underlying the renewed focus on armaments co-operation arises from interest in greater European security and defence co-operation. It has been argued that such co-operation ultimately requires a European armaments industrial base, and therefore increased co-operation between European partners in such areas as armaments production, armaments procurement policy and arms export policy. In this context, the Western European Union agreed in its Maastricht Declaration 1991, to examine further proposals for enhanced co-operation in the field of armaments with the aim of creating a European Armaments Agency under the auspices of the Western European Union.
A third development is the growing profile of the European Union in the control of arms exports. This has included the elaboration of common criteria to underpin the national arms export policies of EU member states and the involvement of Ireland and our EU partners in a number of multinational weapon-related export control fora, for example, the Australia Group which deals with controls of components used in chemical weapons.
The European Commission, acting on its own authority, has recently sent a formal communication summarising developments and challenges in this area to the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Council and the Committee of the Regions. The Commission's communication points to the arguments for further restructuring of the armaments industry as it exists within EU member states, and proposes a range of responses, essentially based on existing Community policies. In addition, it is possible that proposals relating to armaments co-operation may be tabled at the Intergovernmental Conference. It will be recalled that the Reflection Group report noted the views of a majority of EU partners that the question of European armaments co-operation is one that the Intergovernmental Conference should consider.
The Government's approach to the issue of armaments derives in the first instance from our strong and enduring commitment to disarmament and arms control. Our primary concern therefore will be to ensure that any developments in this area are consistent with our priorities in disarmament and arms control and our overall approach to international peace and security. We would wish to ensure also that any development of co-operation in the field of armaments includes a strengthening of arms export control policies at the level of the European Union. Ireland is not a producer of armaments and will not become one. The Government will continue to work for enhanced EU co-operation on arms export policy to achieve the maximum possible transparency and restraint in arms transfers.
