The EU and its capitals have plumped for high-ranking military officer André Denk to lead the European Defence Agency (EDA) instead of former Dutch minister Kajsa Ollongren as many had expected.
The appointment of Denk – a German who holds the rank of major general and is currently the effective number two at the EDA – is significant as the agency is seeking to persuade its member countries that it should take on a ramped up role coordinating ammunition and missile procurement across the bloc.
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Four people with knowledge of the appointment say that Denk has been cleared to take over. His appointment breaks with the tradition of diplomats and politicians heading the agency. Until a few weeks ago, former Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren was also in the race to lead the EDA.
Artillery agency
The military man will head an agency that has undergone a massive transformation in recent years, evolving into a procurement hub with increased clout when it comes to identifying gaps in member states’ armies.
Officially, the head of the EDA reports to the EU’s top diplomat, a post currently held by Kaja Kallas. Picking a German to lead the EDA could improve relations between the Brussels-based organisation and the government of its largest member country in Berlin which has been sceptical about handing control over military matters to the EDA.
Germany has pushed for joint procurement to be handled by a designated ‘lead nation’ rather than through the EDA.
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Denk has already been preparing for his future role. He posed next to the visiting Latvian defence minister and travelled to Warsaw to meet the bloc’s 27 defence ministers at their recent informal retreat – duties typically reserved for the agency’s chief.
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