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UK offers to maintain defence and security cooperation with EU UK offers to maintain defence and security cooperation with EU
(35 minutes later)
Britain has played one its strongest cards in the EU negotiations by offering to put its defence, security and aid assets at the disposal of the European Union in the hope of getting concessions on future trading and economic relations.Britain has played one its strongest cards in the EU negotiations by offering to put its defence, security and aid assets at the disposal of the European Union in the hope of getting concessions on future trading and economic relations.
The offer extends to continuing to share embassies with the EU, provide intelligence information and undertake regular joint EU-led military missions.The offer extends to continuing to share embassies with the EU, provide intelligence information and undertake regular joint EU-led military missions.
Issuing its position paper on defence and foreign policy relations with the EU after Brexit, the defence secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, said the UK was not seeking to blackmail the EU by threatening to withdraw security cooperation if it did not get the economic deal it wants.Issuing its position paper on defence and foreign policy relations with the EU after Brexit, the defence secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, said the UK was not seeking to blackmail the EU by threatening to withdraw security cooperation if it did not get the economic deal it wants.
He told the BBC: “No, this isn’t blackmail, this isn’t a negotiating strategy. What we are doing, and everybody has asked for this, is to set out how we see the new partnership the day after Brexit. We want to fight terrorism together. It’s vital. We are not making threats.”He told the BBC: “No, this isn’t blackmail, this isn’t a negotiating strategy. What we are doing, and everybody has asked for this, is to set out how we see the new partnership the day after Brexit. We want to fight terrorism together. It’s vital. We are not making threats.”
The tone of the position paper, unlike Theresa May’s Mansion House speech in February, makes no reference to a threatened end to UK defence cooperation, and instead presents its offer as based on the “belief the UK has a historic deep belief in the same values that European stands for – peace, democracy, freedom and the rule of law”. The tone of the position paper, unlike Theresa May’s Mansion House speech in February, makes no reference to a threatened end to UK defence cooperation, and instead presents its offer as based on the “belief the UK has a historic deep belief in the same values that Europe stands for – peace, democracy, freedom and the rule of law”.
In detail the paper proposes the UK would like to to work with the EU on its defence missions, as well as help with operational planning and developing a mission’s mandate. It also sets out plans for continuing to contribute to the commission’s nascent European defence fund including both the European defence research programme and the European defence industrial development programme. The paper says the UK would like to work with the EU on its defence missions, and help with operational planning and developing their mandate. It also sets out plans for continuing to contribute to the commission’s nascent European defence fund, including the European defence research programme and the European defence industrial development programme.
The move would assuage British defence industry concerns that Brexit will lead to greater Franco-German defence industrial cooperation, gradually carving the UK out of major defence markets. The move would assuage British defence industry concerns that Brexit will lead to greater Franco-German cooperation, gradually pushing the UK out of major defence markets.
Although one of the premier defence forces in the EU, the UK has not been the largest contributor to the EU’s common defence and security missions, focusing its spending instead on Nato. But it has contributed to all 15 EU defence missions, including combating piracy on the horn of Africa, or combating migration from Libya. The UK is one of the EU’s premier defence forces, but it has not been the largest contributor to the EU’s common defence and security missions, focusing its spending instead on Nato. It has, however, contributed to all 15 EU defence missions, including combating piracy on the Horn of Africa and migration from Libya.
The level of UK involvement in the planning process for EU military missions should be reflective of the UK’s contributions, the paper suggests. The level of UK involvement in the planning process for EU military missions should reflect the UK’s contributions, the paper suggests.
Other third parties such as Norway contribute to EU missions, but the Ministry of Defence appears to be proposing a more structural cooperation.Other third parties such as Norway contribute to EU missions, but the Ministry of Defence appears to be proposing a more structural cooperation.
The paper also calls for classified information exchange to support foreign policy, reciprocal exchange of foreign policy experts and military personnel, as well as shared provision of consular services in third countries where either the EU or the UK lack resources. The paper also calls for the exchange of classified information to support foreign policy, the reciprocal exchange of foreign policy experts and military personnel, and the shared provision of consular services in third countries where either the EU or the UK lack resources.
There is no explicit suggestion in the paper that some of the UK aid budget would be distributed through the EU but officials said this was possible in the context of negotiations on a new EU development budget after 2020. There is no explicit suggestion that some of the UK aid budget would be distributed through the EU, but officials said this was possible in the context of negotiations on a new EU development budget after 2020.
At present 15% of the EU overseas aid budget comes from the UK, and the paper calls for continued UK collaboration and alignment in development policy and programming. At present, the UK contributes 15% of the EU overseas aid budget, and the paper calls for continued UK collaboration and alignment in development policy and programming.
On future diplomatic cooperation, the paper proposes the “UK and the EU should have regular close consultations on foreign and security policy issues with the option to include joint positions on foreign policy issues. This could include cooperation on sanctions listing including “by sharing information and aligning policy where appropriate”.On future diplomatic cooperation, the paper proposes the “UK and the EU should have regular close consultations on foreign and security policy issues with the option to include joint positions on foreign policy issues. This could include cooperation on sanctions listing including “by sharing information and aligning policy where appropriate”.
In practice a UK unilateral sanctions policy, for instance against Russia, would be largely ineffective, leaving the UK little option but to work alongside EU and the UN. The paper is silent on whether that cooperation could extend to the UK preserving a veto over EU member state sanctions policy but the paper points out half the sanctions listings comes from the UK. In practice, a unilateral UK sanctions policy, against Russia for instance, would be largely ineffective, leaving Britain little option but to work alongside the EU and UN. The paper does not say whether that cooperation could extend to the UK retaining a veto over EU member state sanctions policy but it points out that half the sanctions listings comes from the UK.
Officials did not rule out a suggestion made by the former former foreign secretary Lord Hague that UK officials should be able to sit on the EU political and security committee, the EU’s premier decision making body for EU diplomats and officials. The PSC sits just below the EU foreign affairs council from which the UK will be excluded once it leaves the EU. Officials did not rule out a suggestion made by the former former foreign secretary Lord Hague that UK officials should be able to sit on the EU’s political and security committee, its premier decision-making body for EU diplomats and officials. The PSC sits just below the EU foreign affairs council, from which the UK will be excluded once it leaves the EU.
The offers of future cooperation will disturb Eurosceptics worried that the UK is still being dragged towards concepts such as an EU army and wasteful EU aid spending.The offers of future cooperation will disturb Eurosceptics worried that the UK is still being dragged towards concepts such as an EU army and wasteful EU aid spending.