At its meeting on 12 February 1958, the Council of Western European Union (WEU) analyses cooperation between France, Germany and Italy in the field of arms production. A statement is made on behalf of the three governments, and the French representative, Jean Chauvel, sets out France’s position on the European contribution to Atlantic cooperation in the field of armaments. In view of the financial, technical and industrial difficulties, France proposes the introduction of a joint regional programme with the aim of harmonising military concepts concerning the organisation, use and equipment of armed forces with the directives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), in the interests of common defence.