(BUCHAREST) - France gave the European Union's defence arm a major boost at the NATO summit in Bucharest, which ended Friday, by winning concessions from its alliance partners, including the United States.

A declaration signed by the 26 heads of state and government -- 21 of them also EU members -- underlined the change of tone on European defence, which some allies complain doubles up and wastes resources better used at NATO.

"We recognise the value that a stronger and more capable European defence brings, providing capabilities to address the common challenges both NATO and the EU face," the declaration read.

"A stronger EU will further contribute to our common security."

Rarely, if ever, have Europe's military ambitions been encouraged in such a public way by a transatlantic alliance determined for so long to remain the one and only military structure taking care of security on the continent.

"Before, NATO spoke above all about relations between the EU and NATO. Here, European defence is being clearly mentioned," a French official said.

"The fact that (US President) George W. Bush mentioned this in session and that it was set down in writing is a good result," he said, on condition of anonymity.

Until now, Bush has remained an implacable opponent of granting more autonomy to European defence, but -- as his voice has always been loudest at the alliance -- he is now setting the tone for other reluctant allies.

"Building a strong NATO alliance also requires a strong European defense capacity," Bush told a conference ahead of the summit, NATO's biggest ever.

"So at this summit, I will encourage our European partners to increase their defense investments to support both NATO and EU operations."

Pushing him has been French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who since coming to power last year has sought to improve relations with Washington.

In exchange for a boost in Europe, Sarkozy also proposed France's full reintegration into NATO's military command structure, which then-president Charles de Gaulle pulled out of in 1966.

"The president of the United States made a declaration ... on the need for European defences that would complement the alliance, which was, in my opinion, a historic turning point in US policy," Sarkozy said Thursday.

"It was a gesture we have been waiting for, that has been noticed. It's a gesture that shows understanding for what is happening in Europe."

A senior French official said: "That US opposition just had to be lifted. Otherwise nothing would be possible. Of course, not everything has been resolved on European defence but we have already lifted some obstacles."

With Washington's green light, Sarkozy now plans to use France's presidency of the EU, which runs from July 1 to December 31, to give new impetus to European Security and Defence Policy, launched in 1999.

The first challenge is Britain -- which was with France at the heart of the project almost a decade ago -- but which has been reluctant to boost the EU headquarters in Brussels and increase the European Defence Agency's budget.

"For the moment we're waiting for London to ratify the Lisbon treaty (of EU reforms). But after that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has assured us that he would be ready to move forward on the topic," an official in Paris said.

Another hurdle is Germany, which France will have to convince to make a special effort to bring itself up to the military spending level of Paris and London.

The European defence challenge remains formidable, but France maintains that Bucharest has been a sizeable first "success".

"The closer we are to the Americans, the more independent we are, and we help European defence progress more too," a second senior French official said.

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