Source: European Parliament
EU integration was built on a shared aspiration for lasting peace in Europe. Given the deterioration of the security situation, the determination to maintain peace has prompted the Commission, together with the High Representative/Vice-President, to elaborate the White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030[1], which aims to deter any temptation of military aggression and to ensure that Europeans are ready to withstand all threats, including the most extreme military contingencies.
It means that Europeans shall take care of their own security, build their strategic autonomy and a fairer burden-sharing within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which remains the cornerstone of EU’s defence.
The Commission supports Member States’ efforts to achieve defence readiness in a more cooperative and more cost-efficient manner with its policy, financial, and regulatory powers.
The White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030 sets out a vision according to which they should tap the full potential of EU collaboration to deliver peace through strength and unity.
The ReArm Europe Plan provides ambitious and sound financial foundations to support Member States in sustaining this huge effort and in closing the accumulated capability gap. Finally, the Defence Omnibus will be proposed in June to simplify the regulatory environment of the defence sector.
Member States are in the driving seat for defence matters and remain the sole decision-makers to identify, prioritise and realise their capability needs.
The Commission supports them with its policies and instruments, promoting a more cooperative approach towards defence investment and industrial ramp up, to increase value for money, better interoperability and resilience in the EU’s achievements of defence readiness.
- [1] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/document/download/30b50d2c-49aa-4250-9ca6-27a0347cf009_en?filename=White%20Paper.pdf.