Submarine row is ‘wake-up call’ for Europe: German minister

The US and Australian decision to strip France of a submarine supply contract was a stark reminder the EU must bolster its own capacity to act independently of its allies, Germany’s Europe minister said Tuesday.

“It is once again a wake-up call for all of us in the European Union to ask ourselves how we can strengthen our sovereignty, how we can present a united front even on issues relevant to foreign and security policy,” Michael Roth said, arriving at ministerial talks in Brussels.