UK under French fire over defence

The UK has come under fire from France for blocking a move to extend funding for an EU agency driving integration in European defence policy.

At a defence ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday (14 November), London refused to give the green light to the European Defence Agency budget being raised from €22 million in 2007 to €29 million in 2009.

Instead ministers, who had been due to approve the budget for the next three years, gave the go ahead for the 2007 budget only.

The UK defended its move by saying the two-year old agency should give more information about how it intends to spend the money.

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