Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rapporteur: Karl von Wogau

Minority Opinion tabled by GUE/NGL , Brussels, 21.January 2009

The report lacks the requirements for peace, focusing instead on preparation for militarization of the EU. We condemn that the report advocates:

- that the EU defends its interests around the world with military means, e.g. to secure the supply of energy;
- the deliberate attempt to break the political taboo to speak of an "European secuity interest"
- the further militarization of the EU, e.g. to make 60 000 soldiers permanently available;
- the establishment of a European Defence and Security Market;
- the increase in Community funding for security research;
- to combine the use of both civil and military assets and capabilities;
- the use of Galileo and GMES for security and defence;
- the protection of EU space assets and therefore a militarization of space;
- to criticize Russia for its response in the war in the Caucasus without mentioning that the war was started by Georgia;
- to criticize Russia for the recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia without mentioning the recognition of Kosovo by many European states which is equally contrary to international law;

We demand:

- a civilian EU;
- no militarization of space;
- establishment of an EU disarmament agency;
- military expenditure to be used instead for civilian purposes.


Signed by:

Tobias Pflüger
Willy Meyer Pleite
Erik Meijer
Věra Flasarovà
Kyriacos Triantaphylides
Adamos Adamou