Tomorrow the European Summit will welcome the launch of the Permanent Structured cooperation (PESCO) and review ‘progress’ in other areas of Defence, and the European Parliament will discuss the EC proposal to fund the development phase of new military capabilities with the EU budget, as part of the European Defence Fund.
The European Network Against Arms Trade calls for a proper public debate to happen and for the voices of concerned citizens and peace groups to be taken seriously. It has published an online information tool proposing a critical analysis of the European Defence Fund.
It is targeted at citizens, activists, journalists and decision-makers alike; it aims to support them in making informed opinions,
analysis and decisions.
Civil society calls on policymakers to prevent the weakening of arms exports control
8 May 2026
Today, +25 civil society organisations urge decision makers to prevent arms export control systems from being weakened under the pretext of ‘simplification’ and ‘efficiency’. The negotiations on the EU omnibus package relating to defence are well advanced and about to conclude, including on the proposals modifying the Transfer directive regulating intra-EU arms exports. Weapons and military technology cannot be sold like toys or cans of beans, and EU governments are the ones responsible for ensuring compliance with European and international law, in particular the EU Common position on arms exports, the Arms Trade Treaty and the Convention on