For EU Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen, development is necessary. The restrictions that we have (on defence goods) “date from the Cold War”. “The time has come to have a true industrial base which would be more than the sum of national industries.” “It is a question of defending Europe’s strategic independence. […] Not to live in autarchy. Autonomy is the power to make our decisions independently, without foreign influence, not just from the USA, but other countries too.” “We must concentrate on key technologies, avoid duplicates and crosschecking.”

Cooperation with the USA: “We are in a completely disproportionate market. The American market is almost inaccessible to European industries. But until now, member states and European industries have not wanted to have a policy of reprisals. If we had wanted to do it, we could not have.” “Because we depend on American products in numerous sectors.” With our system,” he maintained, “dependence on the USA should, if not disappear, decrease considerably”.

Certain aspects have been deliberately avoided. “We are leaving aside the question of transfers [of defence equipment] abroad. That would serve no purpose. Member states are incapable of being organised at Community level. Moreover, that falls under the second pillar. Perhaps we should wait, to notch up our first positive actions before going further,” explained Verheugen.

The draft presented by the European Commission is “less ambitious” than originally planned. “It was clear that a draft regulation would not pass the Council.” This is why the directive was set out. Likewise, the notion of intra-Community transfer is less broad than planned. Finally, on the assets [compensation arrangements], though “this process seems undesirable to me, we have no legal solution”. “Even industry tells us: ‘"we don’t like that, but please, please don’t take it away from us!”