Press Release
Exchange of views on the ESDP between Luc Frieden and the chairpersons of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the national parliaments of the Member States of the European Union, the European Parliament and Candidate States

Date of release : 14-03-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

In his capacity as Minister for Defence, Luc Frieden presented to the chairpersons of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the national parliaments of the Member States of the European Union, of the European Union Parliament and of the Candidate States, the main points of the Luxembourg Presidency regarding the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

As an introduction, Luc Frieden reminded the Members that 2005 is a special year, because it is up to all the Member States to approve the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe. The Constitutional Treaty is obviously an important step for the ESDP because "this step is in line with the EU’s ambition to be present as a player who guarantees security inside our borders mainly through cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs, and outside our borders through the ESDP. (..) This combination, internal security and external security, stipulated in the treaty, should bring the EU closer to the citizens" Luc Frieden added.

The ESDP’s objective is to enable the european Union to expand its civilian and military capabilities to manage crises and to prevent conflicts on an international scale. Thus, the ESDP contributes to keeping international peace and security. The defence minister wanted to present this European security and defence policy as an essential component in the EU since "we are confronted with the globalization of instability." The minister explained that "if a crisis occurs somewhere in the world, it has a risk of having an impact on the other regions of the world more than it did in the past."

Thus, the European Union needs an external security and defence policy to address the different regional crises, but also to fight international terrorism. Luc Frieden stated that "the ESDP has a role to play, both in preventing and managing the consequences of a terrorist attack when civilians require assistance. We have a good example to explain to the citizens why we have to build a European defence."

According to Luc Frieden, despite recent efforts, the ESDP is still a long-term effort that must continue to develop over the coming years. The Luxembourg Presidency would like to underscore three elements that it considers essential.

First of all, the EU must continue to further develop its military and civilian capabilities. To do so, Luc Frieden recommends a stronger political will by the Member States so that military and civilian capabilities can be developed. He emphasised that there are certain gaps to be filled so that this ESDP becomes effective. "There must be an army capable of responding quickly and in any place in the world," he said, adding that to do so, "it is necessary to set up small military units."

In addition to military capabilities, Luc Frieden underscored the idea that more civilian capabilities are needed because "army cannot solve everything; they have to respond to a crisis situation, but after that it is necessary to combine the military aspect with the civilian aspect so that peace and the Rule of Law can take root."

The minister for defence added that our European strategies for external security and internal security should be more consistent because "what happens beyond our borders can have an impact inside our borders. By sending our police forces into the Balkans, to Bosnia or Macedonia, we are not just helping the people in these countries, but we are also preventing these problems from being exported to us."

To conclude this exchange of views with the Members, Luc Frieden noted the importance of strengthening partnerships with the other players in the international arena. "The european Union will not be able to carry out all of these battles on its own; it will have to do so with the United Nations, which continue to be one of the key instruments in crisis management, but also with NATO, since many EU States are NATO members."