{"id":39924,"date":"2020-06-24T21:36:11","date_gmt":"2020-06-24T21:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/06\/24\/germany-pushes-for-a-common-eu-stance-on-threats-to-the-bloc\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:15:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:15:23","slug":"germany-pushes-for-a-common-eu-stance-on-threats-to-the-bloc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/smr\/transatlantic-partnerships\/2020\/06\/24\/germany-pushes-for-a-common-eu-stance-on-threats-to-the-bloc\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany pushes for a common EU stance on threats to the bloc"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COLOGNE, Germany \u2014 Germany will use its turn at the helm of the European Council to launch the first-ever common threat analysis for the European Union, as well as broker a deal allowing nonmember countries access to defense cooperation projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two objectives represent a push to rekindle the bloc\u2019s nascent defense efforts, which are facing growing pressure to show tangible results after a preoccupation with bureaucratic groundwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A threat analysis with buy-in from all members of the union could provide a fresh framework from which to derive new capability requirements. Such an analysis, which is routine for many national governments, has never been drawn up from an EU perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer described the effort as a quest for a \u201ccommon strategic compass\u201d in an interview Wednesday with the Atlantic Council think tank. The exercise, for example, could lead the EU to get behind new counterterrorism initiatives in Africa to relieve the demand for U.S. presence there, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding common ground among 27 countries on such thorny issues as dealing with Russia and China is a high bar in itself. Sustaining the trans-Atlantic relationship amid a U.S. presidency seen in Europe as increasingly cantankerous toward the bloc \u2014 and Germany in particular \u2014 is expected to add another challenge to Berlin\u2019s six-month presidency on the council, which begins July 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

American defense companies want the greatest possible access to the EU\u2019s Permanent Structured Cooperation defense initiative, or PESCO, which comes with subsidies from the European Defence Fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fund stands to get about $9 billion in the latest long-term budget proposal<\/a> covering 2021-2027, down from more than $14 billion in the European Commission\u2019s initial pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\t