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Editorial

The EU and peace in the Balkans

The governments of Serbia and Kosovo have taken the first step on the path towards normalisation. Serbs and Kosovo Albanians can now start searching for a way out of the historical and political impasse in the relations between their two states.

The European Union has done everything right; but it must continue to provide guidance along the long and difficult path towards peace and stability in the region. During talks facilitated by the High Representative for the CFSP, Lady Ashton, the Union showed that it can still play the role of peacemaker. The credit goes to Lady Ashton, whose offer of future membership prospects for Serbia and an Association Agreement for Kosovo proved to be a weighty incentive. In practice, then, Belgrade is renouncing sovereignty over its “province” in an act of political farsightedness that paves the way for the opening of EU accession talks.

Overcoming nationalism Before the negotiations can start, however, Serbs and Kosovars must prove on a day-to-day basis that they are serious about normalisation and reconciliation. This will not be easy, because the main aim of the 13-point programme will be to dismantle the Serb parallel structures in Kosovo and to integrate the country’s Serb communities into Kosovo while allowing them a high degree of autonomy. The onus is now on Belgrade and Pristina: there is a lot of psychological resistance to be overcome on both sides. But at least both governments are showing the willingness to turn this page of their history. But the EU too has a lot of work on its plate. The talks on an Association Agreement with Kosovo need to be launched, although several EU member states have still not recognised the government in Pristina. Clearly a number of internal issues have not been settled that should have been.

Hartmut Bühl

The EU as a provider of security Peace for this region and for Kosovo in particular now seems closer than ever before. NATO, which still has 6 000 troops stationed there under the KFOR flag, may well find itself with a second mission to accomplish. But it could also transfer that task to the European Union. It would certainly make sense for the political process of integration and stabilisation and the military presence needed to guarantee it to be placed under a single authority. The EU has the necessary instruments at its disposal; serious thought should therefore be given to its assuming, in the medium term, the overall responsibility for this region of such crucial historical and political importance located right on its doorstep.

For the moment the KFOR troops are stationed in Kosovo. Their presence serves both to guarantee the protection of the Kosovars against their northern neighbours and to reassure the Serb minority, which would be very reluctant to see the Kosovar security forces suddenly becoming the sole military presence in Mitrovica.

Hartmut Bühl, Editor-in-Chief

Impressum The European − Security and Defence Union ProPress Publishing Group Bonn/Berlin

Headquarters Berlin: Kaskelstr. 41, D-10317 Berlin Phone: +49/30/557 412-0, Fax: +49/30/557 412-33 Brussels Office: Hartmut Bühl Avenue des Celtes, 30, B-1040 Brussels Phone/Fax: +32/2732 3135, GMS: 0049/1723 282 319 E-Mail: hartmut.buehl@orange.fr ; Hartmut.buehl@euro-defence.eu Bonn Office: Am Buschhof 8, D-53227 Bonn Phone: +49/228/970 97-0, Fax: +49/228/970 97-75 Advertisement Office Bonn: Karin Dornbusch Phone: +49/228/970 97-40 E-Mail: Karin.dornbusch@euro-defence.eu Publisher and Editor-in-Chief: Hartmut Bühl, Brussels Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Nannette Cazaubon, Paris; E-Mail: nannette.b@gmx.net Publishing House: ProPress Verlagsgesellschaft mbH President ProPress Publishing Group: R. Uwe Proll Layout: SpreeService- und Beratungsgesellschaft mbH, Berlin Print: Heider Druck GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach The European − Security and Defence Union Magazine is published by the ProPress Publishing Group. The ProPress Publishing Group is the organizer of the congress on European Security and Defence (Berlin Security Conference), the European Police Congress and the European Congress on Disaster Management. For further information about the magazine and the congresses please visit www.magazine-the-european.com Subscription: This magazine is published in Brussels and Berlin. The copy price is 16 Euro: 3 copies for one year: 42 Euro (EU subscription) 3 copies for one year: 66 Euro (International subscription) including postage and dispatch (3 issues)

Karin Enström Minister of Defence, Sweden

Pieter de Crem Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Beligum

POLICY and POLITICS

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Editorial

6 Michael Gahler MEP, Strasbourg/Brussels, Interview High voter turnout in defiance of extremist threats A major step forward towards regional stability

7 Nannette Cazaubon The Arms Trade Treaty Ireland signs and sets an example

The European Union

8 Michel Barnier/Antonio Tajani, Brussels The future of Europe’s defence industry Promoting international competition

11 Ana Gomes MEP, Strasbourg/Brussels European Maritime Security Strategy A global vision of security

13 Alex Kennedy, Washington A vision of common security with the Maghreb States The stabilising effect on the continents

Security and Defence

15 Pieter de Crem, Brussels The EU Common Security and Defence Policy: Challenges and Perspectives How to achieve a breakthrough in capabilities

16 Giseppi Giaimo, Boston The future of the CSDP is power projection Setting the sights on global responsibility

18 Olivier de Bavinchove, Strasbourg The Eurocorps, a highly operational multinational headquarters not used by the EU The EU must make use of dormant capabilities

20 Karl-Erik Goffinet, Paris The CSDP – a new role for Berlin and Paris Can Paris and Berlin find new common responsibilities?

23 Alain Coldefy, Paris Consistency for a Defence White Paper – France’s answer Crisis-driven and far away from a breakthrough

24

The French White paper – the ten main thrusts

Modern Armed Forces for Europe

25 Arnaud Danjean MEP, Strasbourg/Brussels, Interview The future of the CSDP is in the hands of the Member States Bundling forces in mission sharing, pooling and sharing

28 Karin Enström, Stockholm The Swedish path towards a modern defence force A common vision and the human factor

30 Dr Arnold Kammel, Vienna How Austria is preparing for the future The referendum result was a surprise

35 Vlastimil Picek, Prague Interoperable capabilities: a must for the armed forces of smaller nations Genuine efforts for coordinations are crucial

37 Tom Middendorp, The Hague Mission sharing – the fruit of trust between allies The question of sovereignty

Vlastimil Picek Minister of Defence, Czech Republic

Tom Middendorp Chief of Defence (CHOD), The Netherlands

SECURITY and SECURITY SOLUTIONS EU/NATO

39 Hartmut Bühl, Brussels The human factor in missions abroad There are common standards to be respected

41 Dr Uwe Nerlich, Munich Trends and strategies in the international armaments sector Structural problems to be resolved

44 Christina Balis/Doug Berenson and Aleksander Jovovic, Avascent, Paris/Washington “Top 5 Trends” in military aviation Competition versus cooperation

50 Domingo Ureña Raso, Madrid Europe needs to preserve technologies, capabilities and talent in defence Creating operational superiority

54 Bernd Kreienbaum, Brussels The role of Europe in NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence There are reasons for the CSDP to engage

58 Markus Kafurke, Paris How to reconnect nations with their navies A strong need to promote an EU Strategy

62 Per Espen Hagen, Kongsberg Integration enhances autonomous minehunting A very much needed capability

Reports on Conferences

27

6th

Annual ESRT Conference, Brussels

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CATO project meeting in Portsmouth 2013

47 EuroDefense France International Presidents Meeting 1/2013, Paris

48 European Defence Agency (EDA) Annual Conference 2013, Brussels

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AFCEA – TechNet Europe 2013, Warsaw

“The European − Security and Defence Union” is the winner of the 2011 European Award for Citizenship, Security and Defence

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