The European Union has taken a major step towards having its own army after the President of the European Commission set out plans to organise a "common military force" across the continent.
Delivering his annual State of the Union address, Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU needed a joint command military headquarters. He argued that the lack of a "permanent structure" results in money being wasted on missions and that countries should pool their resources to save billions of euros.
"From an economic point of view bringing together our military resources could be clearly justified," he said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Juncker added that any new force would "complement" Nato and would not threaten the EU's transatlantic relations.
The proposals, echoing a plan put forward this week by France and Germany, "are part of a broader attempt to rally EU nations after Britain's vote to leave the bloc and to capitalise on its departure", with London having long opposed the idea of a single European army, says Reuters.
After terror attacks in France, Belgium and Germany, EU leaders have identified security as a major concern among citizens.
However, with Europe's biggest-spending military power set to leave, many in Brussels are concerned that cuts in defence spending will limit the bloc's ability to run peace-keeping missions, disaster relief and counter-terrorism operations at home and abroad.
EU officials have stressed these proposals will not mean all soldiers will wear the same uniform but rather involve increased co-operation that could "revive long-running efforts to reduce reliance on the US" and save member states "up to €100bn a year", reports Reuters.
-
Questions abound over the FAA’s management of BoeingTalking Points Some have called the agency’s actions underwhelming
-
Lou Berney’s 6 favorite books with powerful storytellingFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Dorothy B. Hughes, James McBride, and more
-
Robert Redford: the Hollywood icon who founded the Sundance Film FestivalFeature Redford’s most lasting influence may have been as the man who ‘invigorated American independent cinema’ through Sundance
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Moldova gives decisive win to pro-EU partySpeed Read The country is now on track to join the European Union within five years
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
On VE Day, is Europe alone once again?Today's Big Question Donald Trump's rebranding of commemoration as 'Victory Day for World War Two' underlines breakdown of post-war transatlantic alliance
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
