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Robert Habeck: “We will only see progress if we get concrete things rolling.”
Photo: Britta Pedersen/dpa
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) supports the idea of an EU defense commissioner. The Vice Chancellor said he thinks such a function for coordinating processes is right. However, he pointed out that the function alone does not create European policy: after all, there is also an EU industrial commissioner, but policy in this area continues to be national in nature.
“We only see progress if we get concrete things rolling,” said Habeck about the strongly national defense policy in Europe. "So we should agree on concrete cooperation in procurement, agree on production, promote the same norms, the same standards for certain types of frigates to tanks and then achieve the largest possible merger."
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen supported the idea of naming a defense commissioner at the Munich Security Conference in February. In addition to CDU politicians, representatives of other parties had also spoken out in favor of it. The background is the security policy situation in Europe since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) was critical of von der Leyen's proposal. Defense in the EU is “intergovernmental,” said Pistorius. "That's why we first and foremost need a proper council of defense ministers for better coordination of our national efforts." He could imagine a "commissioner for the arms industry who would pool existing competencies within the EU Commission, but not create any new competencies."
“We don’t always spend the money effectively”
Habeck made his comments after a meeting with representatives of the German defense industry, which also included the Chancellery, the Ministries of Defense and Finance, and the Foreign Office. The background is threatening. "If we look at Russia, we have to see that we are also increasing the production of goods that increase the country's security capability in Germany and Europe." It was about what security the industry needed in order to increase production . After all, armaments are not normal consumer goods; acceptance must be secured in advance.
The volume that Europe spends on defense is not small, said Habeck. "But we don't always spend the money effectively." A common procurement market must be established. The minister expressly praised the security and defense industry in Germany. »It is strong in its industrial positioning, it is strong in infrastructure, it is strong in research. She can really do something.”
czl/dpa