Southern countries push for EU defence policy to boost economic growth

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called on European countries to step up cooperation on defence on the 2 September 2013, arguing in favour of moves towards a borderless EU defence market and intensified integration on military matters.

Mr Rasmussen joined EU defense ministers for an informal meeting in Lithuania on the 5-6 September 2013) in which defense cooperation featured on the agenda.

In addition, EurActiv Italy reported that Spain, Portugal and Italy jointly proposed to pool resources for defence spending, seeing more coordination in the military sector as an answer to the economic difficulties the European Union was facing.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 03.09.13: Nato chief calls for closer European cooperation on defence http://www.euractiv.com/priorities/nato-chief-urges-greater-europea-news-530192

European Commission: COM (2013)542: Communication ... Towards a more competitive and efficient defence and security sector http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52013DC0542

NATO: Press Release, 05.09.13: NATO Secretary General to visit Lithuania http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_102817.htm

NATO: NATO-EU: a strategic partnership http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_49217.htm

Lithuania: EU Presidency: Events: Informal meeting of Ministers for Defence, 5-6 September 2013 http://www.eu2013.lt/en/events/political-meetings/informalmeetingsofministers/informal-meeting-of-ministers-for-defence

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