Commentary by Rainer Schuwirth, Bonn The exasperating talk of a European army The EU has to stick to realistic approaches

Commentar y The exasperating talk of a European army by Rainer Schuwirth, General (ret), Chairman, DWT*, Bonn

It sounds like an attractive solution: just do away with those inefficient national forces, those parallel developments, all those duplications and instead create a European army. Indeed, it seems to be a tempting idea that just one single European army would solve the manifold challenges, such as the discrepancies between political ambitions and available capabilities, the differences and difficulties of structures, of command and control, of interoperability or of effectiveness and sustainability. In short – a much improved output for the resource input.

How could such a European army be described in broad terms to make it a powerful and capable instrument for the European Union? Not surprisingly and very similar to a national setup, it would be a highly complex construct with forces of all services and branches under European political control, with a European defence minister, European headquarters and staffs, with military formations and civil elements, with a European defence budget including cost shares, with amalgamated European legal provisions and leadership principles. It would also have to have unified provisions for planning, equipment, stationing, training and exercises, social matters, salaries, attractiveness, motivation and so on, not to forget the need for a European uniform and the oath on Europe. Fact is, economic or mathematical calculations will not suffice, armies and their human beings need a broad set of principles, rules and parameters. Additionally, clarification would be needed on issues like the effects for the political acquis of the EU, for national constitutions and political systems, for national defences and forces, for NATO, OSCE and UN, for existing treaties or agreements and other specific areas. Self-explanatory, these and many more detailed parameters would have to be agreed by the individual Member States, the responsible EU institutions and possibly further partners. Such a process might take an undefinable number of decades and it would be highly questionable whether the result would match the expectations. Nevertheless, extreme visionaries may still consider a European army an attractive option, but in the real world it seems to be a dream at best.

Therefore, the suggestion is to stick to realistic, achievable approaches. Since the beginning of the European and Common Security and Defence Policy, a considerable package of action plans, goals, intentions and projects has been developed and agreed. There has been progress but there is also disappointment as quite a lot has remained on paper and not been implemented. Just recently, several fresh steps have again been announced to improve the posture of the EU. Let us hope that all member states develop the crucial will and contribute the necessary means. In our unstable and dangerous world dreams may be nice but we need efficient and effective instruments. The sooner we get them the better for us and for the next generations.

* Deutsche Gesellschaft für Wehrtechnik e.V. – German Defence Technology Association

MAIN TOPIC CBRN Threats

Threats and risks emanating from Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) material should not be underestimated! * The European approach to CBRN security stems from the transnational character and the massive number of potential casualties in case of natural, industrial or terrorist disasters when CBRN materials are involved. It is vital for the European Union to make the most out of civil-military cooperation to effectively counter CBRN related risks and thus get prepared, equipped and trained to respond to a CBRN multi-hazard emergency situation.

*More recently the acronym CBRNe arose – the e in this term referring to explosives.