European Defence Agency

The Agency in the field of defense capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments or European Defence Agency (EDA), English European Defence Agency (EDA ) is an agency founded in 2004, the European Union for armaments planning, recruitment and research. It is thus a central institution of the Common Security and Defence Policy ( CSDP, formerly European Security and Defence Policy, ESDP).

Tasks

According to its founding document, the EVA was mandated " to assist the Council and the Member States in their efforts to improve the EU's defense capabilities in the field of crisis management and the ESDP as it stands now and develops in the future to support permanently ". The Treaty of Lisbon, the EVA was also included in the European primary law in 2007. Consequently, they determined pursuant to Article 42 paragraph 3 of the EU Treaty " operational requirements, shall promote measures to satisfy those requirements, shall contribute to identifying measures to strengthen the industrial and technological base of the defense sector and performs these actions, as appropriate, participates in the definition a European policy in the field of capabilities and armaments and assist the Council in evaluating the improvement of military capabilities. "

So It is responsible for the development of effective defense capabilities ( particularly in the area of crisis management ) as well as the coordination of armament activities of the Member States and possible joint weapons purchases. It also aims to contribute to the financing of the European defense research. By coordinating activities of EVA efficient use of the military expenditure of the European countries should be possible - for example, by avoiding excess capacity and synergy in joint purchases.

Organization

The management of the EVA is the responsibility of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton so currently. After it was founded by one of the leaders of the European Council decision in autumn 2004, the EVA was initially led by Javier Solana, who was also the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. On 1 December 2009, the line went to Catherine Ashton, High Representative Solana's successor as for the CFSP, on. Since February 9, 2010, she leads the EVA in her new capacity as High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Decision-making body of the EVA is a steering committee member along with the High Representative as Chairman representatives of the defense ministries of the 27 participating countries (all EU members except Denmark). The Steering Committee, which in turn is subject to the requirements of the Council of the European Union, is under the managing director of the agency, currently Claude- France Arnould. Overall, the EVA has 110 employees.

Budget

Results

One of the first results of the European Defence Agency is one of a voluntary agreement of 2005 that military purchases of the Member States must be advertised throughout Europe. Such Europe-wide tenders were (now TFEU) already provided by the EC Treaty for all major government contracts; under Article 296 of the Treaty, however, military purchases were previously exempt. End of 2006, the European Defence Agency adopted a joint research program in the amount of 55 million euros.

In the framework of the Intergovernmental Regime on the Defence Procurement of the EVA 2010 534 jobs were advertised from 1 July 2006 until July 1, wherein it came to a bidding war at 308. The total volume of loans with the participation of EVA defense contracts totaled over the period to just under 21 billion euros.

In addition, the EVA developed a European-wide training program for helicopter crews ( HTP). The first exercise in this program took place in northern Spain in June 2010.

Another area is the implementation of joint maneuvers, such as a transport pilots exercise in June 2012 in Zaragoza.