EU ministers discuss deployment of drones

European foreign and defence ministers discussed during the Foreign Affairs and Defence Council on the 18 November 2013 how to deploy drones for civilian operations, ranging from disaster prevention to deterring human traffickers on the EU borders.

France, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland and Spain have signed an agreement on the 19 November 2013 to build an unmanned aircraft by 2020 and challenge the dominance of the United States and Israel on a market seen as strategic.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels, 18 November 2013 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-foreign-affairs-council-brussels-18-november-2013/

ESO: Background information: Nato wants EU countries to buy more drones http://www.europeansources.info/record/nato-wants-eu-countries-to-buy-more-drones/

ESO: Background information: Barnier urges Europeans to build their own drones http://www.europeansources.info/record/barnier-urges-europeans-to-build-their-own-drones/

EurActiv, 20.11.13: Seven countries join forces to build a European drone http://www.euractiv.com/innovation-enterprise/countries-join-forces-build-euro-news-531819

EUObserver, 20.11.13: Seven EU states create military drone 'club' http://euobserver.com/defence/122167

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