Britain will still have to pay for European army despite UK opposition
BRITISH taxpayers will help finance European defence plans, despite UK opposition to a shared army.
Junker pushes ahead with plans for an EU army
The European Parliament will vote this week on proposals to levy half a billion pounds a year for one area of the EU Defence Union alone, and £90million for defence research from 2017.
However, Prime Minister Theresa May last week reminded German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Britain, while it remained in the bloc, would resist any EU plan that could undermine Nato.
Theresa May reminded Angela Merkel that Britain would resist any EU plan that could undermine Nato
It came as the European Commission stepped up its efforts to create a “superpower” by launching the Permanent Structured Co-operation plan.
The EC wants to create spy agencies, EU special forces and an armed border force.
The report on the implementation of the EU’s common security and defence policy, to be discussed on Tuesday and Wednesday, highlights its contribution to military training and naval operations.
Britain has no say on how those funds will be spent
The UK will not be providing any additional funding to support this
It also calls for a swift launch of the European Defence Research programme that will need £428million a year, after the £90million pilot.
An MoD spokesman yesterday insisted: “The UK will not be providing any additional funding to support this; nor is it true to imply that it is connected to EU army proposals.”
Angela Merkel greets Theresa May in Berlin
The commission’s budget, however, is made up of cash already paid by all member states.
Britain has no say on how those funds will be spent.