Brussels and Berlin, 8 December 2009 

The past President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering called at the 8th Congress for European Security and Defence in Berlin for the creation of the office of an European Military Ombudsman appointed by the European Parliament. The President of the European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL) and the Vice-President of EUROMIL moderated and participated in the panel discussing the implementation of Synchronized Armed Forces Europe (SAFE).

“Then all about 2 million European servicemen in the member countries of the European Union would have a focal contact point, not only with regard to duties, rights and rules of engagement but also with regard to social standards, medical care and the coverage of injury, invalidity and decease”, said Professor Hans-Gert Pöttering.

 “European soldiers are sent on mission on the basis of European values and thus have the entitlement that those are applied to them.” He added, “those values are human rights, peace, freedom and democracy”.

Further he explained the development of the SAFE concept that he had presented at the same location last year. The European Parliament voted in favour of the SAFE concept with 483 votes to 111. This contributed that for the first time in 2008 official and mutual visits took place between the highest decision-makers of the European Parliament and NATO.

The European Organization of Military Associations fully supports the SAFE project and welcomes the proposal to establish a democratic European Military Ombudsman at the European Parliament if supported by all member states of the European Union.

The European Security and Defence Congress is organized in cooperation with a German newspaper, the European Commission, the ESDA/WEU Assembly and the European People’s Party faction in the European Parliament. President of this conference is Dr. Karl von Wogau, Secretary General of the European Security Foundation and honorary member of the European Parliament.