EDM 1321: UK-EU defence cooperation

That this House welcomes the establishment of the UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership as an important step toward rebuilding structured cooperation on defence issues; recognises the shared interest of both the UK and the EU in strengthening collective European security, particularly in light of Russian aggression in Ukraine and uncertainty around US President Trump's commitment to European defence; notes the potential for closer collaboration on military mobility, joint procurement and industrial capacity; further welcomes the Government’s assertion that the agreement paves the way for UK defence firms to access the EU’s proposed €150 billion SAFE fund; regrets the absence of concrete mechanisms or timelines for accessing this fund or for formal cooperation on defence industrial policy; expresses disappointment that the agreement only commits to exploring the possibility of an Administrative Arrangement with the European Defence Agency, rather than announcing one; believes that full UK participation in the EDA would strengthen both parties’ ability to respond to shared security challenges; urges the Government to ensure that the forthcoming Strategic Defence Review recognises the vital role of UK-EU defence cooperation in our future collective security; and further urges the Government to move towards agreeing tangible, formal security and defence arrangements following the Reset Summit.