The center-right European People’s Party (EPP), the EU’s largest political grouping, is reportedly set to propose the establishment of an army of the European Union, among other far-reaching security policy measures.

The other measures to be put forth by the EPP include policing the Union’s external borders with drones and fences and blocking Turkey’s bid for EU membership, according to a leaked draft policy document obtained and cited by Politico.EU.

The proposed establishment of the future EU army seems to be based on the emerging notion of 21^st century “hybrid warfare” as it is suggested that the process begin with the launch of “a cyberbrigade within 2 years to fight misinformation, cyberattacks and terrorism.”

The European People’s Party, which presently holds 219 seats in the 751-seat European Parliament, is presently working out its campaign strategy for the May 2019 EU elections.

The measures outlined in the cited draft document are seen as a potential attempt by the EU’s mainstream right to sway back voters leaning towards populist and far-right political groups. Those movements have been gaining some traction in recent years, especially since the 2015 European migrant crisis.

“The success of Europe will depend on our ability to protect its citizens, preserve the European way of life, create new hope and empower the European continent. To achieve these goals, we do not need fear or blame games; we need values, ambition and hope,” states the draft EPP document.

In addition to building border fences and boosting the EU border security system with at least 10,000 new officers and the latest technology, such as drones, the draft also provides for refusing visas to citizens of those non-EU countries which turn down the repatriation of illegal migrants. It also moves to decline Turkey’s bid for membership and abolish some 1,000 pieces of EU legislation.

According to the report, however, the draft containing the “EU army by 2030” and the other “tougher” EU security proposals has not yet been approved by EPP members.

Instead, it has been described by an unnamed European Parliament official as a platform for inciting debate on internal security policy and measures among the EPP ranks – and one that is liable to be modified.

The “toughening” EU security policy measures have already been met with intra-party criticism.

Gunnar Hökmark, a Swedish member of the EPP, is quoted as describing the language of the document, especially with respect to the building of border fences, as “Trump-speak” and “not something we should advertise.”

(Banner image:  Wiktor Dabkowski, action press)