23/04: EUROPEAN MILITARY SPENDING & THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY: SQUARING THE CIRCLE

On  Tuesday 23 April, from 16:00 to 17:15 CEST
(10:00 New York – 19:30 New Delhi – 22:00 Manila)

Join us to debate European military spending in 2023 and how it harms peace and the planet
How much has the European continent spent on the military in 2023? How is EU militarisation exacerbating military spending? Why is militarization not compatible with the fight against climate change? How European militarisation and energy issues are linked, using Mozambique as an example?

We will discuss these issues and many others with the following panellists:
• Wendela de Vries, Coordinator & researcher at StopWapenhandel (moderation)
• Jordi Calvo, Office coordinator at International Peace Bureau (IPB-Barcelona) & Global Campaign on Military Spending (GCOMS)
• Laëtitia Sédou, Project officer at the European Network against Arms Trade (ENAAT)
• Nick Buxton, Knowledge Hub coordinator at the Transnational Institute (TNI)
• Daniel Ribeiro, co-founder and researcher at JA! Justiça Ambiental/FoE Mozambique

Please register by filling the form here

Background:
On Monday 22 April, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) will release its updated data on world military expenditure for the year 2023. Global military spending has risen every year since 2015, and we expect this trend to accelerate in 2023.
Europe’s military spending will be no exception at both national and European level for those who are members of the EU. The latter have just adopted restrictive EU budgetary rules that will force many Member States to further reduce their public spending, and this will primary affect the welfare state, health or education and even the fight against climate change.
On the other hand, military spending could be considered as “essential investments” and not be included in the calculation of national deficits.

This event is organised by ENAAT in cooperation with the Transnational Institute, the International Peace Bureau and StopWapenhandel, and is part of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS)

 

more news

NBB 2025-1: REARM Europe plan, headlong rush into the rearmament race

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

Read more >

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

(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’,

Read more >

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

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

Read more >