2. Acknowledges that the current geopolitical environment and the situation in Europe call for the Union to assume greater responsibilities in the fields of both external and internal security and to pursue more ambitious goals such as a European Army, and welcomes the European Council’s conclusions of June 2015 asking for further development of both civilian and military capabilities and the strengthening of Europe’s defence industry;deleted
8. Notes that sovereignty concerns and divergent threat perceptions in the different Member States and differing national industries and operational capabilities hamper integration of the defence sector and contribute to market fragmentation, and believes that a European Defence Union may create more trust, align the different plans for development of national capabilities and ultimately lead to more common projects and the opening of the markets.deleted