Paris, 2 June 2009 – The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) has “really moved forward in a very dynamic way”, said Clemens von Goetze, Germany’s Representative to the WEU Permanent Council/EU Political and Security Committee.

Speaking on behalf of Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, and of the outgoing German WEU Presidency, Mr von Goetze noted that the European Security Strategy adopted in 2003 “still remains valid”. Since then, the EU had undertaken more than 20 different missions on three continents, proving that “it can act effectively”. Six years ago, 500 Europeans were deployed on civilian missions, now there were 2 500, he said.

But many new challenges and threats had emerged since 2003. These included the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), Iran’s developing nuclear capability, an increase in terrorism and organised crime, problems of internet security, piracy at sea and the spread of small arms and light weapons.

Mr von Goetze went on to stress the importance of the civil-military aspects of operations and the need for this kind of expertise; the need also to improve training, adapt administrative structures, streamline budgetary planning and procurement and rethink strategic issues to make Europe’s defence industry more competitive and geared towards greater interoperability.