NBB #2023-07: EU Defence Industry Strategy and EIB top race

 

The latest ENAAT Newsletter is available here: ENAAT NBB 2023-07_09.10.2023

The main news are the announcement of an EU Defence Industry Strategy instead of Programme and Production Act, and how the EIB top race could pave the way to the European bank investing in weapons

Summary

EU funding for the arms industry
– A European Defence Industry Strategy (EDIS) instead of Programme or Production Act
– EDIRPA formally adopted with overwhelming majority
– Defence Fund to focus on conventional warfare in Europe and less projects?
– 2024 and MFF revision: the budgetary war is on
– EP draft report on CSDP calls for more funding
– ‘Replenishing EU defence stockpiles’: SEDE hearing and study
– EIB top race an “opportunity” to start funding weaponry?
– UK to take part in Horizon & Copernicus projects, a first step to defence research?

other aspects of European militarisation
– European Political Community and informal EU heads of state meetings
– Military spending as “relevant factor” for deficit beyond EU limits?
– Mixed pattern of citizens’ opinion on arms deliveries to Ukraine

EU Peace Facility & related news
– Peace Facility: EU auditors opinion, Armenia
– Ukraine: from support to “opportunities”
– EU mission to Gulf of Guinea expanded to Togo and Ivory Coast

more news

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12 March 2025

This new edition of our ‘News from the Brussels’ Bubble’ focuses on the REARM Europe plan, intending to bring European militarisation to a different scale. Read it here: NBB2025-1, 07/03/2025 summary: EU funding for the arms industry– Negotiations on EDIP still stalled one year after proposal publication– EDF 2025 prioritise ground systems, incl. mass production of kamikaze drones– “EU defense industry lobbying soars” – Politico confirms findings of our 2023 report– “Omnibus for defence”, or how to facilitate arms dealers’ business, including exports?– EIB coming shift in lending policy: all but lethal weapons and no more ceiling Other

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New ENAAT website counters clarion calls for European rearmament with valuable information

5 March 2025

(read the press release in French) 05 March 2025 – Today the European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) launches its new website (www.enaat.org), a unique tool for information and critical analysis about European arms exports and EU policies supporting the military industry, and how they exacerbate the global arms race. On this International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, and on the eve of the special European Summit on defence which is expected to confirm an unprecedented drive for rearmament at the EU level, in contradiction with the original idea of a Union conceived as a ‘peace project’,

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Opacity and ethical shortfalls in first EDF projects: new report by Centre Delas & ENAAT

25 February 2025

In this report, the Center Delàs d’Estudis per la Pau and the European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) highlight the opacity of the projects benefiting from the first round of financing of the European Defense Fund. This research discuss transparency issues during the Mid-Term review of the EDF projects funded under the 2021 Call of the European Comission (EC), focusing on a representative sample of 6 projects. The investigation shows that the problematic aspects already detected in the initial PADR and EDIDP calls have not improved, being as questionable and controversial as in their day, and even with

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