NBB 2025-1: REARM Europe plan, deeper 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 aspects of EU militarisation
– REARM Europe Plan: projections up to €800 billion in next 4 years, yet not enough?!
– EU-UK security and defence partnership soon on track… And what about the nukes?

EU Peace Facility and related news
– New military aid package to Ukraine failed consensus at European special summit

more news

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

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NBB 2026-3: ““maximised flexibility for arms, minimal safeguards for the people”

4 May 2026

From the European Competitiveness Fund to the deregulation package and military mobility, maximised flexibility for rearmament but minimal safeguards for the people… Read our latest Newsletter here: ENAAT NBB 2026-3, 30/04/2026 SUMMARY ENAAT News Join the closing event of the Global Days Against Military Spending EU funding for the arms industry – Post-2027 funding: maximised flexibility and ‘merit-based’ approach – Deal on the deregulation of the arms sector postponed – News briefs Other aspects of EU militarisation – What about the EU mutual defence clause?! – Expected clash on EU military mobility package – EU-Ukraine ‘drone deals’ –

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NBB 2026-2, EU militarisation going wild

27 March 2026

From dedicated funding programmes to diverting civil funds, from deregulation facilitating the business of arms to wave of security & defence partnerships, EU militarisation is going wild in 2026… Read our latest newsletter here: NBB 2026-2, 27/03/2026 SUMMARY: ENAAT news > Global Days Against Military Spending (GDAMS) Campaign to run from April 10 to May 9 > ‘US fighter jets: backbone of European air forces’ – StopWapenhandel blog EU support for the arms industry > Deregulating the arms industry: negotiations and EP calls for single market for defence > A SAFE 2.0 in the pipeline, Polish veto, French frustration

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