Is the EU Anywhere Near Getting Its Own Army?

As part of a warning by a group of former military officers that the EU undermines the UK’s military effectiveness, former Gen. Sir Michael Rose expressed concern at the EU’s plan to set up its own army.

Polish soldiers participate in the NATO Noble Jump military exercises of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Forces (VJTF) in Zagan, Poland, on June 18, 2015. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

As part of a warning by a group of former military officers that the European Union undermines the U.K.’s military effectiveness, former General Sir Michael Rose expressed concern at the EU’s plan to set up its own army.

But in a speech on May 9 outlining why the U.K. would be more secure if it remained in the EU, British Prime Minister David Cameron said suggestions of an EU army were “fanciful” and that the U.K. would veto any suggestion of it.

As Cameron pointed out, there is a significant gap between the rhetoric and reality of the establishment of a fully functional European army.

The creation of a European army is a long way off and by no means inevitable.