"But the evolution of European capabilities should not distance the European Union from NATO.
Within the European Union, the Pooling and Sharing initiative seeks to build European capabilities through multinational cooperation.
"There are much more important things, like upgrading NATO and European capabilities, and enhancing efforts in Afghanistan".
"Increased European capabilities are a political imperative for both sides of the Atlantic," said Gen . Wesley K. Clark the former NATO commander in Europe who retired recently.
"The docking of the A.T.V. is a new and spectacular step in the demonstration of European capabilities on the international scene of space exploration," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, director general of the European Space Agency.
The U.S. pivot now further widens the gap between America's defense priorities and European capabilities: If war between China and Taiwan or Japan were to break out, the Europeans would make sympathetic noises but leave the United States to do the fighting.
One defense analyst said the move highlighted the scale of the spending squeeze on defense in Britain, one of many countries reining in military expenditures despite U.S. worries that European capabilities are falling behind.
European capabilities are, though, declining in real terms and much will depend upon the economic future if this trend is to be halted.
"Cars, planes, trains, medical and health equipment, home appliances, energy networks and security systems will all benefit from advanced European capabilities," the EC writes in its announcement.
