EP allows EU militarisation and the development of controversial weapons

Today the European Parliament adopted the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) proposed by the European Commission in June 2017, as a precursor of the future European Defence Fund. The European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) is highly concerned by the adoption of such programme to subsidize the arms industry.

By accepting the EDIDP, the European Parliament enshrines the EU paradigm shift towards hard security and military answers to complex problems, as well as the over-influence of the military-industrial complex on EU policy developments: the same companies that are advising the EU will then be the main beneficiaries of this funding.

Read the full Press release in Dutch, English, French, Italian

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OSDE 2026

2 June 2026

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09/06 at 6pm: “Breaking the consensus on EU funding for rearmamament” online conference

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Civil society calls on policymakers to prevent the weakening of arms exports control

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