As defence has become increasingly urgent concern for the EU, the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs presented a respective report.

It is now clear that based on recent developments, a change of mind-set has to take place in Europe and its Member States.

Thomas Sohst, President of the CESI Defence Trade Council and member of the German Armed Forces Association has expressed his deep satisfaction: “It is the first time that a report on European defence mentions social aspects explicitly. This underlines, that it is not merely a question of providing combatants, material and weapons. It is also about the people, the soldiers, the citizens in uniform.”

EUROMIL, the European Organisation of Military Associations, had commented on the draft version of July, so that issues of particular concern for soldiers -such as the right of military personnel to form and join professional associations or trade unions and the involvement in a regular social dialogue with the authorities – have been included in the report.

“We now invite the European Council to take concrete steps towards the harmonisation and standardisation of the European armed forces, in order to facilitate the cooperation of armed forces personnel under the umbrella of a new European Defence Union. I am convinced that this first step will open up plenty more opportunities to improve the situation Europe wide”, Mr. Sohst added.

CESI’s Defence Trade Council will continue to follow the process and the various developments on both EU and national level following this decision.