Group of Personalities, Commission register and defence research

5.12.2016

Question for written answer E-009217-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Bodil Valero (Verts/ALE)

In March 2015, Commissioner Bieńkowska convened a Group of Personalities (GoP) to get advice on the Preparatory Action on Defence Research. It met 12 times and produced its report in February 2016. However, it was never registered in the Commission register despite meeting the criteria applicable at that time.

Moreover, the GoP report states that ‘the logic of the GoP should be transferred to a dedicated European Defence Advisory Board’.

1. Could the Commission explain why it did not register this Group of Personalities in its Register of Commission Expert Groups and Other Similar Entities between March 2015 and February 2016?

2. When will the decision be made regarding the creation of a possible ‘European Defence Advisory Board’ or a similar high-level advisory body, and by whom?

3. Should the Commission have already decided to establish such a body, what will its main features be (how will it be constituted, what will the time frame, the procedure, the categories of members and the remit of this body be, and will it be registered as a technical advisory group in the new Commission registry)?