Plans to create an EU army unveiled by Brussels chief Jean-Claude Juncker who says Brexit has not plunged the trading bloc into crisis
Head of the EU’s executive arm proposed creation of joint military headquarters and a common defence force
BRUSSELS chief Jean-Claude Juncker laid out plans to create a European army and claimed the EU was not in an existential crisis despite the Brexit vote.
In a speech this morning he said the bloc was not about to break up, but instead needed to grow closer after the UK’s historic vote to leave.
Mr Juncker, head of the EU’s executive arm, argued the bloc's current economic and cultural influence wasn't enough to safeguard its future.
So he is proposing the creation of a joint military headquarters and working toward a common defence force.
He tried to justify the plans by saying it makes economic sense for member states, since it would reduce wasteful duplication of effort by individual nations.
In his annual State of the Union address he said: "We don't have a permanent structure and without that we are not able to work efficiently and so we must have a European HQ and work towards a common military force.”
Speaking at the European Parliament he said: "Europe should be stronger, should take a stronger point of view in terms of our defence.
RELATED STORIES:
"We can no longer depend on the power of individual member states and together we have to make sure we protect our interests.
"This should be complementary with NATO - more European defence does not mean less transatlantic solidarity.”
He added: "From an economic point of view, bringing together our military resources could be clearly justified.
“We could use cooperation because the lack of cooperation is something that is costing Europe 20-100billion euros a year."
"Proposing by the end of the year a European Defence Fund to actively stimulate research and development in this area."
In a speech dominated by Brexit he sought to rally support for the European Union, saying the British referendum was a warning it faces a battle for survival against nationalism in Europe.
"The European Union doesn't have enough union," Mr Juncker said in Strasbourg.
But despite splits and fragmentation he said “the EU as such is not at risk", and called for the financial input in a new European investment fund to be doubled to 630billion euros.
In response Nigel Farage said the speech was more of the bad old EU, of increased power-grabbing.
The former Ukip boss said: "It is clear that no lessons are going to be learned from Brexit
“Indeed it was the usual recipe more Europe, in this particular case, more military Europe."
And Tory MEP Syed Kamall said Mr Juncker was failing to listen to the warnings from across Europe, adding “Today was billed as a relaunch, but sadly it's fundamentally the same mantra we’ve heard year after year."