Synchronized Armed Forces Europe

Synchronized Armed Forces Europe ( SAFE ) describes a concept for an ever closer synchronization of the European armed forces within the framework of the European security and defense policy .

The concept was presented on November 10, 2008 by Hans-Gert Pöttering , President of the European Parliament at the 7th Berlin Security Conference. On January 21, 2009, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament voted in favor of the concept by a large majority and included it in the European Parliament's annual report on European security and defense policy . Discussions about the implementation of the concept are currently underway in the Council of the European Union.

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SAFE is based on voluntary participation (opt-in model) and should lead to a synchronization of the European armed forces. This procedure, used in the case of the euro or Schengen, offers enough room for maneuver for the neutral members of the EU who are members of military alliances. This process and the armed forces deployed under ESDP mandate are to be given the name SAFE "Synchronized Armed Forces Europe". SAFE advocates the dynamic further development of the already existing cooperation between national armed forces towards an ever closer synchronization.

SAFE advocates the principle of a Europe-wide division of labor in military capabilities. These can already be seen today in the compilation of the EU Battlegroups or in the Eurocorps . In addition, SAFE proposes to open military careers in the national armed forces for all Europeans from the member countries. This is already practiced today in the Belgian armed forces and to some extent in the German-Dutch reservist deployment (see also 1st German-Dutch Corps ).

As part of SAFE, a European military statute is to be developed for the deployment, which regulates training standards, deployment doctrine and freedom of action, questions of obligations and rights as well as the quality level of equipment and medical care as well as social security in the event of death, injury and incapacity.

aims

SAFE is intended to contribute to the further development of integrated European security structures. These should combine civil and military capabilities and achieve broad social acceptance in the member countries.

See also

• European Army

Web links

• “New developments and approaches for a Europe of Defense” , speech by Hans-Gert Pöttering, MEP, President of the European Parliament on the occasion of the Seventh Berlin Security Conference, Berlin, November 10, 2008.
• Report on Poettering's speech .
• Press release by the Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defense of the European Parliament on December 9, 2008 .
• Report on the SAFE concept in the Bundeswehr magazine Aktuell

Individual proof

1. ↑ European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs Report on the European Security Strategy and the ESDP of January 21, 2009. Retrieved on May 1, 2009 (PDF; 185 KB)