The European Union is stepping up efforts to strengthen European defence amid growing Russian threats. A week ahead of a summit in Brussels, where the “27” will be asked to make concrete decisions on their joint defence efforts, agreement was reached yesterday to support the European defence industry, while the Commission presented a “roadmap” for strengthening European defence.

After long and painful negotiations, the European Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement after a compromise around the issue of preference for European defence industries, which was mainly promoted by France. In essence, the compromise is about limiting the cost of components and items made in non-EU countries to 35% of the total cost of the investments sought.

No mention of Turkey

Currently, 60% of arms purchases are made by non-EU companies, mainly the US. The European Parliament, which was seeking more funding for the EDIP programme, said it had secured financial contributions from third countries that will also participate in the programme – notably, the UK and Canada. There was no mention of Turkey, which is interested in participating, as well as in the financial instrument for lending (SAFE).

However, in response to Greek reports that Germany is “pressuring” Greece to allow Turkey to participate in SAFE, the Commission sent a clear message again yesterday: “We take the concerns of our member states very seriously.”

We are taking our concerns very seriously.
“We have put in place safeguards in the regulation to ensure that no third country can violate the interests of one of our member states or the EU,” the Commission spokesman said regarding Turkey’s request, which was submitted in July.

Wall for rival drones

Yesterday, moreover, the EU’s executive body unveiled the 2030 “roadmap” for “peacekeeping and defence readiness” that includes four “flagship initiatives”: the European drone wall, which will complement the surveillance of the eastern flank, the European air defence shield, and the European space shield.

The system “will be based on a network of anti-drones, designed to be adapted for ‘dual-use purposes’ and to help counter threats (…) at every EU border beyond the eastern wing.”

This was the Commission’s response to the objections of, in particular, Greece and Italy, which at the informal summit in Copenhagen raised the issue of protecting all the borders of the “bloc”. Moreover, the system will also be used to tackle “the instrumentalisation of migration and international organised crime”.