European Aerospace and Defence Industry Leaders Express Strong Support for the European Armaments, Research and Military Capability Agency

Brussels / Edinburgh - At the AECMA Council* meeting on 3 October the CEOs of the major European aerospace and defence companies welcomed the creation of the European Armaments, Research and Military Capability Agency. The Agency will allow a crucial step towards harmonisation of the defence and security requirements of the European Governments and their procurement planning. Its establishment is urgently required, if Europe wants to play its stated role in defence and security policies. It will help to further develop the industrial base for European defence and will also strongly participate in optimising the Member States' research efforts in the fields of defence and security.

Following the decision to create the Agency, which was made at the EU Council in Thessaloniki last June, a joint Position Paper** has been produced by AECMA, EDIG (the European Defence Industries Group) and EUROSPACE(Association of the European Space Industry) describing the minimum requirements for an efficient Agency.

Following the AECMA Council meeting referred to above the Council endorsement and the Position Paper have been widely distributed to concerned bodies and representatives, including the EU Commissioners Philippe Busquin (Research), Pascal Lamy (Trade), Erkki Liikanen (Enterprise) and Chris Patten (External Relations, to the High Representative of the European Council, Javier Solana, and to selected Members of the European Parliament.