The EU is developing its common defence policy with scant attention to, or respect for, the position of Members States whose political status is that of neutrality, as is Malta's, MEP Alfred Sant has complained. 

He was speaking in a  plenary debate of the European Parliament on a report about the implementation of civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and other European Union civilian security assistance.

Sant said the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is part and parcel of the EU’s developing defence policy in which clearly the intention is to continue ramping up the defence/military component.

"In my view, the policy is being developed with scant attention to, or respect for, the position of Members States, no matter how few, whose political status is that of neutrality," he said.

"Yet under EU rules they participate fully in budgeting for this aspect of EU policies.

"The fact that the CDSP covers “only” civilian aspects of EU external interventions does not screen the reality of an overlap, destined to become deeper, between military and civilian interventions."

Sant said that as a state which by its constitution, is prevented from taking part in military alliances unless under the aegis of the United Nations, Malta’s endorsement of the CDSP cannot but be problematic.

Moreover, the text failed to consider that in their approach to CDSP certain member states might have post-colonial legacies and interests to keep up with, when they should have been made transparent.

For all these reasons, he abstained on this vote.

The report was adopted with 493 votes to 81 with 66 abstentions.