Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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18. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the last meeting of the EU Foreign and Defence Ministers which took place in Luxembourg on 15 April 2014. [20049/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers format on 15 April in Luxembourg. The meeting was chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Baroness Catherine Ashton. NATO Secretary General Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen was present for part of the meeting. The meeting commenced when the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board met to discuss the follow-up to the December European Council tasking on military capabilities and defence industry. The EDA Chief Executive briefed on the document they are preparing to support coordinated defence planning across the Union in respect of the collaborative delivery of defence capabilities.

The meeting of Defence Ministers then commenced with discussions on the EU Maritime Security Strategy. This included a brief presentation on the Joint Communication by the High Representative and the Commission “For an open and secure global maritime domain: elements for a European Union maritime security strategy”. This item was a priority for Ireland during our Presidency of the EU Council and still remains a priority. The High Representative highlighted the cross sectoral and cross border nature of the maritime domain, the contribution the Maritime environment to socio-economic development and trade and the need for maritime security to that end.

In the next working session, the High Representative drew attention to the deteriorating security situation in the Central African Republic. Ministers were briefed by the EUFOR RCA Mission Commander, Major General Philippe Pontiès, on the current status of the Operation. Other issues that were discussed were the issues surrounding the difficulties in force generation for this mission, planning issues and the use of Battlegroups.

Discussion on Ukraine and Eastern Partnerships took place over lunch in the presence of the NATO Secretary General. Ministers discussed the crisis in Ukraine and its consequences to Common Security and Defence Policy and the wider security perspectives of Europe. There was collective concern on the need to significantly reassess our security and defence assumptions, improve capabilities and improve efficiency by allocating more resources to defence and security.