Jock straps on the defence as EU tries to classify military items

WHEN are defence items not defence items is one of the questions Commissioner Charlie McCreevy is being asked to decide for the EU.

Under Internal Market rules, all goods to be purchased by the state must be put out to public tender with the exception of military spending for defence.

But there have been complaints that many countries lump all their military spending under this heading and so everything from trucks to catering are not subject to competition.