Parliamentarians of the UK-Ireland Assembly on Tuesday (16 May) called for a closer defence relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom due to the security threat Russia poses since the war in Ukraine.

In their draft report, the European Affairs Committee of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly “calls for a more collaborative approach to defence and security between the UK, Ireland, and the European Union, in response to the threat from Russia.”

When the United Kingdom left the EU, the two partners did not sign an agreement on foreign policy, security and defence matter, as they did on trade with the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA).

Even though the cooperation did not stop with Brexit, it has been taking shape behind closed doors and on a case-by-case basis, the partners should keep aiming for a better and closer relationship on the matter, lawmakers argue.

Ireland is a member of the EU and actively participates in its common foreign and security policy, while the UK is a member of the military alliance NATO.

Border-less impacts

The lawmakers put an emphasis on cooperation on cross-border threats, such as cyber and hybrid threats.

“While it is clear that there is excellent collaboration on these matters between the UK, Ireland and the EU, and the EU and NATO, there are vulnerabilities which still need to be addressed,” Committee Chair Darren Millar MS said.

He added that the exposure of offshore infrastructure off Ireland’s Atlantic coast and in the North Sea and the “growing threats posed by hybrid warfare and cyber-attacks” is a priority.

These threats may have an impact on services and societies that are not limited to a geographical area.

“Greater collaboration can be achieved in areas of security and defence, including cyber and hybrid risks while being mindful of Ireland’s traditional neutrality,” the report says, adding that “Unilateral approaches to cyber security should be avoided and encourage stronger engagement and collaborative policy development on an EU-UK and UK-Ireland level.”

Lawmakers believe the UK, Ireland and the EU “should cooperate more effectively” on protecting critical infrastructure.

This request “follows recent reports of attempted hacks and Russian vessels positioned around undersea power and communications cables,” they say.

An attack on critical infrastructure, such as an offshore windmill producing power, may affect populations in both the UK and Ireland, but also beyond those borders if the country and service providers were to export that energy.

Europeans were shaken last autumn after an apparent attack on the North Stream pipeline linking Russia and Germany.

A move that proved that critical infrastructures can easily be targeted, prompting reflection at NATO and the EU to better protect them in the future against attacks.

The report also recommends “improved information sharing” on several issues, with the purpose of “making future cooperation more effective”. In this respect, lawmakers name sanctions, cyber security, and financial intelligence.

Strong ad hoc cooperation

Over the years, the British government has been clear that it would only be involved in areas of the EU’s common foreign policy on an ad hoc basis, based on its own interests in each case.

For instance, London is currently reflecting on how the UK could join EU initiatives to boost defence equipment production capacity, EURACTIV has learnt.

However, a formal partnership seems unlikely, sources told EURACTIV.

The way the relationship evolved and is shaping itself on a case-by-case basis in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine last February showed there is not necessarily a need for a formally approved framework, they said.

The war Russia launched in Ukraine last February prompted a united response by the European Union, its member states, and its partners, including the UK.

Concrete security cooperation has proved strong in drafting sanctions against Russia to create a unified policy across all of Ukraine’s allies and share intelligence in an informal manner.

The EU and the UK also work closely when training Ukrainian troops on European soil, as EUMAM Ukraine and Operation Interflex officials have visited the others and exchanged information, experience and lessons learnt.

They also have been dividing the training, considering the need not to overlap.

On this, “consideration be given to a framework partnering agreement that would allow third countries, such as the UK, to participate in EU operations,” the UK-Irish committee said.

The United Kingdom also joined the EU’s defence cooperation PESCO military mobility project to facilitate the cross-border movement of troops and equipment in the autumn.

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