It would allow the EU to operate more independently in defence matters.

The strategy commits governments to clarify defence industry priorities and identify key technologies, and consolidate demand for defence materials by, for example, clubbing together to tender for certain military hardware.

It would also see them boost investment and ensure security of supply in defence goods and services.

"We can no longer decide on the equipment we need on a purely national basis, and then pursue separate national research and development programmes and procurement," said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

"This approach is no longer economically sustainable and, in a world of multinational operations, it is operationally unacceptable too," he said.

The strategy, outlined in a document released on Monday, said that this would not mean the creation of "a 'fortress Europe', excluding imports from, or cooperation with, overseas defence industries."

But it said that given difficulties EU states have accessing the US defence market, it is only "natural and necessary for Europeans to cooperate more closely to ensure the future" of their own technological and industrial base.

Each EU member holds control over its own defence policy.

But France has been leading efforts to establish a relatively strong European defence identity more distinct from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which has 21 members in common with the EU.

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