CONFIDENTIAL
3RD DRAFT
European Defence Improvement Programme, adopted by the
ten Eurogroup countries in 1970 (Cmnd. 4592) and designed both
to improve the effectiveness of national forces committed to
NATO and to accelerate certain common projects of major military
significance, is now approaching a successful conclusion. In
the communique following their December 1974 meeting, Eurogroup
Defence Ministers were able to announce plans for the introduc-
tion into service in 1975 of an impressive list of major new
equipments.
16. The Defence Ministers of the ten European countries par-
ticipating in the Eurogroup have continued to find it a valuable
forum in which they can discuss in a European context the major
defence issues facing the Alliance; and in which they can give
direction to the practical work of co-operation that is carried
out in the various Eurogroup sub-groups. In order to further
these objectives, they commissioned and discussed a report on the
future trends in European defence and reiterated their determin-
ation that the Eurogroup should strengthen the important part it
plays in developing European defence capabilities in the most
effective manner from within the framework of the Alliance as a
whole. The Secretary of State for Defence has accepted the
invitation of his Ministerial colleagues in the Eurogroup to act
as their Chairman during 1975 and it will be the Government's
aim to carry this important work forward.
The Western European Union (WEU)
17. The WEU has continued to provide a means whereby parlia-
mentarians from the seven member countries can meet to debate
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CONFIDENT IAL