NBB #2023-08: Ombudsman opens inquiry on EDF independent experts & risks of conflicts of interest

The latest ENAAT Newsletter is available here: ENAAT NBB 2023-08_17.11.2023

The main news are the Ombudsman inquiry into how the EC ensures independent experts assessing EDF projects do not have conflicts of interest, EU Defence Industry Strategy expected early 2024, and EU Defence ministers calling for better access to (sustainable) finance for arms industry

Summary

EU funding for the arms industry
– EU Defence Fund: Ombudsman’s inquiry on independent experts, 2021 projects fit ill with EU founding principles and values
– EC will present European Defence Industry Strategy early 2024, to include EDIP
– Next EU parliament: security & defence upgraded and women’s rights downgraded?
– EU Defence & Security Summit: more money, more exports, strategic autonomy
– 2024 EU budget: Defence less impacted by austerity
– ASAP calls already launched, Nammo CEO wants 10-to-15-year contracts
– EDA board: EU Defence ministers call for access t finance for arms industry
– EIB top race: French support conditional on backing investment in nuclear energy and defence

other aspects of European militarisation
– MILEX23: EU carries out first military live exercise in Cádiz
– Expected tough discussions on MFF revision risk diverting funds to the military?
– EU Defence discussed by MoDs will also be on December EU summit agenda
– EU extends support to Arms Trade Treaty

EU Peace Facility & related news
– EPF/Ukraine: 8th Tranche still blocked, special €20bn envelop still not agreed
– New assistance measures under EUMAM Ukraine to come soon
– EU unlikely to reach objective of 1 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine
– other EPF measures: lethal equipment for Somalia?

 

more news

NBB 2026-1: Quiz, which of the EU institutions is the most arms-industry friendly?

22 January 2026

From EP’s early Christmas gifts to EC outbids to counter EDA’s revival, one wonders which of the EU institutions is the most arms industry-friendly…Read our latest newsletter here: NBB 2026-1, 16/01/26 SUMMARY ENAAT news > “Europe’s Hidden Hands: Funding and Arming the Genocide in Gaza” (Webinar series 26/01 & 02/02) > Stop Wapenhandel Blog: Weakening arms transfers rules in the name of ‘security’ and ‘competitiveness’ > Increasing concerns about civil society watchdog role at EU level > Citizens’ initiative asking the EC to suspend the EU-Israel association agreement EU support for the arms industry > EDIP & SAFE:

Read more >

Europe’s Hidden Hands: Funding and Arming the Genocide in Gaza

20 January 2026

  Two online webinars to explore the European complicity with the Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Monday 26/01, 6pm CET Monday 02/02, 6pm CET     Register here Programme Monday 26/01, 6pm CET “EU & European complicity through military cooperation and dependency”,  This session confronts Europe’s direct role in enabling Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its decades-long military occupation of Palestine. Far from being champions of diplomacy and peace, European countries and the EU continue arms trade, military cooperation, and political cover for Israel, even as mass atrocities unfold and international law is systematically violated. We will examine how

Read more >

Weakening arms trade rules for the sake of arms dealers

15 January 2026

As part of the “Defence Readiness Omnibus’ presented in June 2025, i.e. a deregulation package for the armament sector, the European Commission is proposing to “simplify” the EU directive for arms exports inside the EU, in short the ‘Transfers directive’. A first revision of this directive had been conducted in 2016, already problematic in several respects as we warned at the time. The current revision represents a further step towards the deregulation of arms transfers, with potentially significant impacts on the control of exports outside the EU. Read our Policy Briefing Note for more information on the dangerous

Read more >