Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000756/2025
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 144
Roberto Vannacci (PfE)
The Third Joint Declaration[1] of 2023 and the Ninth Progress Report[2] of 2024 confirm the strengthening of EU-NATO cooperation and underscore the commitment to complementarity and coordination between the two organisations in the field of European defence.
The European defence industrial strategy seeks to achieve EU strategic autonomy. Commissioner Kubilius called, at the hearings, for the creation of a European Defence Union complementary to NATO, proposing an increase in the 2028-2034 MFF to reduce dependence on third countries.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, speaking in the AFET Committee, also urged the Atlantic Alliance Member States to increase their defence spending[3], suggesting a rise from 2 % to 3.7 % of GDP and justifying this by the increased threat from Russia and the intensification of the conflict in Ukraine.
Russia, in a war economy, increased its military expenditure to USD 140 billion in 2024[4] while, over the same period, EU Member States, in a market economy, spent USD 314 billion.
In the light of this, can the Commission answer the following questions:
- 1.How does it justify acceding to NATO’s requests to the detriment of a more balanced and autonomous approach to European security policy?
- 2.What measures will it take to balance the increase in military spending with the other strategic priorities for the development of the EU?
Submitted: 19.2.2025
- [1] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/01/10/eu-nato-joint-declaration-10-january-2023/
- [2] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/06/13/eu-nato-9th-progress-report-stresses-the-importance-of-ever-closer-cooperation-at-a-key-juncture-for-euro-atlantic-security/
- [3] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rutte-says-nato-must-spend-smarter-defence-or-face-bill-37-gdp-2025-01-13/
- [4] https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2023/russias-new-budget-law-signals-determination-see-war-ukraine-through-according-new-sipri-analysis