Will EU Defense go on the attack?
The European Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, has launched the idea of a 100 billion euro European defense fund to increase the EU's weapons production capacity to support Ukraine. Meanwhile, at the end of February the executive will propose the new Edip (European Defense Investment Programme)
A 100 billion euro European defense fund.
This is the proposal launched by the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, who spoke at a conference in the European Parliament organized by Renew Europe earlier this week, reported by Politico and in Italy by Agenzia Nova.
“It is an ambition, a vision” for the years to come, Breton stressed, acknowledging that the idea is still embryonic and raises many questions, particularly regarding its financing. These 100 billion are "my personal assessment, what I consider necessary" to "very significantly increase our defense industrial base", explained the Commissioner for Internal Market and Industry.
Furthermore, the commissioner specified that this will be a matter for the next Commission to decide on, which will be appointed at the end of this year, after the European elections in June.
On the other hand, Brussels has already launched various measures to increase the capabilities of the European defense industry: thanks to the European Defense Fund (EDF), or the ASAP instrument equipped with 500 million for the production of ammunition for the benefit of Ukraine and Edirpa, an instrument for strengthening the European defense industry through joint procurement. However, the European Commissioner believes that we need to go much further.
Meanwhile, on February 27th the EU executive will present the European Defense Investment Program (EDIP). The EU's internal market chief is targeting 3 billion euros in a new program to boost defense equipment production, inspired by last year's historic procurement program to help supply artillery shells, Reuters reported. to Ukraine and amidst geopolitical uncertainties. The European Commission has already allocated 1.5 billion euros but aims to double the sum, Breton told journalists on Thursday.
All the details.
THE NEW EDIP IS COMING TOGETHER WITH THE EUROPEAN DEFENSE STRATEGY
The European Commission is expected to announce a new European Defense Investment Program (EDIP) together with the European Defense Industry Strategy (EDIS) next year, Breton told the media at a meeting on Thursday, reported by Reuters and Euractiv . February 27.
And regarding the idea of establishing a 100 billion euro European Defense Fund, the EU commissioner underlined that this will be up to the next executive. “The European Defense Fund is for the next mandate. I do not intend to propose 100 billion euros for the next few months. This happens in the context of the next mandate,” Breton specified.
Decisions on the allocation of funds from the EU budget for the defense industry will still have to be approved by the European Council.
REGARDING RESOURCES…
Pressed by the press on the 100 billion financing, Thierry Breton remained evasive, without however excluding the possibility of resorting to a new joint loan such as that of the NextGenerationEu, an 800 billion recovery plan for the green and digital transitions. “As long as the political will exists, we know how to find the means,” the commissioner recalled, quoted by AFP .
Breton noted that on the topic "there are different solutions" and that Europeans "will have to be creative", opening up to the idea that EU countries can bring guarantees, EurActiv reports.
WHAT POINT IS THE PRODUCTION OBJECTIVE OF ONE MILLION PROJECTILES FOR KIEV?
Finally, Breton reiterated positive expectations on the possibility of still reaching the goal of producing one million artillery shells to be delivered to Kiev this spring. In one year, as a European Commission spokesperson explained yesterday, around 300 thousand ammunition and 3,300 missiles were delivered to Ukraine, Agenzia Nova notes. Although the objective is difficult to achieve, Breton reiterated that the EU will be able to keep the commitment made with Kiev.
“I want to tell you here today that we will keep our commitment,” the French official said, specifying that achieving it will require reducing exports to third countries and ensuring that member state governments put pressure on their defense industries to increase production.
According to Breton, the EU will reach "around March, April" its target of an annual production capacity of one million 155 mm projectiles, the NATO standard. This increase in production must now concern the entire industrial base of the EU according to the European Commissioner. “There is a war on our continent, we must rearm,” Breton commented.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/la-difesa-ue-andra-allattacco/ on Fri, 12 Jan 2024 12:33:43 +0000.