WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4091/98 by Carlos ROBLES PIQUER to the Council. European coordination of defence industries
Date: 1999-01-15
Institutions: European Parliament, ROBLES PIQUER
Subjects: NATO, United States, arms industry, cooperation policy

C 297/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

15.10.1999

Over the last four years, the number of women in Category A and in decision-making posts has increased.
Between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 1998, the number of women in grade A2 posts increased from 4 to
19 (10,6 %), while the number of women in middle management posts (A3, A4, A5 , heads of unit and
advisers) increased from 8,3 % to 11,4 % in Category A and 28,2 % to 38,7 % in Category LA. At present, the
percentage of women in the starting grades (A6, A7, A8) is 26,1 % while four years ago it was 19,6 %. During
that time the percentage of women in Category A increased from 14 % to 18,7 %. It should be noted that the
proportion of women recruited to Category A stands at 42 % (346 women/471 men) for these four years.

The Commission intends to continue its efforts to increase the number of women in decision-making

4.
posts.

(1999/C 297/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4091/98

by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Council

(15 January 1999)

Subject: European coordination of defence industries

The approach of NATO’s fiftieth anniversary is being accompanied by a succession of studies into the major
changes which have occurred on the international scene during the 50 years of NATO’s existence and the need
for an agreement concerning tasks and challenges for the future. The differences in the political views held by
America and Europe may become more accentuated if ways are not found of establishing cooperation between
the defence industries on either side of the Atlantic with a view to developing the new technology of the 21st
century.

Does the Council believe that the European defence industry will soon achieve a sufficient size and degree of
coordination capability to allow constructive dialogue with the highly integrated industry in the USA? In this
connection, what would be the effect of the differences in legal status which exist between the major defence
companies of Germany and the United Kingdom, which are privately owned, and those in France, which are
mainly in the public sector?

Reply

(22 April 1999)

As the Honourable Member is certainly aware, the ad hoc Group on the European Armaments Policy
(POLARM) was established in 1995 to address issues related to the European armaments policy and to submit
recommendations to the Council on the possible follow-up both by measures taken in the Community
framework and according to Title V of the EU-Treaty. Furthermore, the future Article 17 of the Treaty on
European Union states that ‘the progressive framing of a common defence policy will be supported, as Member
States consider appropriate, by cooperation between them in the field of armaments.’

The POLARM Group is currently examining a Communication by the Commission entitled ‘Implementing
European Union strategy on defence-related industries’. This Communication includes both a Plan of Action
for defence industries and a proposal for a Common Position on drawing up a European armaments policy.

As to the Honourable Member’s last question, the rules in Member States governing the system of property
ownership do not fall within the remit of the Council.

(1999/C 297/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4109/98

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NG) to the Council

(15 January 1999)

Subject: Infringement of the Treaty on European Union , UK participation in attack on Iraq

The participation of the UK in military operations against Iraq is an infringement of Article J.1(1) and (2),
Article J.2(1) and Article J.8 of the Treaty on European Union since there was no information or consultation