Unlock the publisher’s digest free
Roula Khalaf, editor -in -chief of the FT, selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
An proposed injection of 150 billion euros in the EU defense industry has become a new flash point in a long -standing battle between France and Germany on the continent’s reset campaign and if it should include countries outside the block.
Fracet by the threats of American president Donald Trump to finish the American protection generations, Europe has committed to increase defense Specify considerably and increase their domestic capacities that have withered since the Cold War.
Last week, the European Commission proposed to raise 150 billion euros which would be ready for capitals to stimulate their military production. While the broad idea has received unanimous political support, the details are always expanded, with a heavy lobbying on the question of whether the money could be spent for weapons outside the block.
During an EU summit on Thursday, several leaders, including the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said that the initiative should be open to partners not to the similar views of the EU. “It is very important to us that projects that can be supported by this are open. . . Countries that are not part of the European Union but work in close collaboration, such as Great Britain, Norway, Switzerland or Turkey, “said Scholz.
However, the French president Emmanuel Macron, who has long supported the increase in European autonomy and stimulating national industrial production, said that “spending should not be for a new standard kit which is once again non -European”.
For gaps in Europe’s critical capacities – including air defense, long -range strikes, intelligence, recognition and targeting – “The method is to identify the best business and businesses we have,” he added.
He also said that each EU member state would be invited to “re -examine orders to see if European orders could be prioritized”.
Brussels diplomats are concerned about the fact that the 150 billion euros initiative will be derailed by the same argument which delayed the agreement of more than a year on the European Defense Industry Program, disbursement subsidies of 1.5 billion euros for Defense. The efforts to implement the computer land this winter after Paris asked for a ceiling on the proportion of the proportion for extra-election components and the prohibition of products with IP protection against third countries.
High officials of the commission responsible for writing the detailed proposal in the next 10 days have been invited to ensure the liaison closely with Paris, Berlin and other capitals to ensure that it is not blocked when presented for approval by the Member States.
“There is a lot of work to do on this subject. There was not a week ago and has to be ready in less than two weeks, “said an EU official. “There will be compromises.”
The president of the Ursula von der Leyen commission said that loans, which target seven key capacities, including air defense and anti -missile, artillery and drones, “will help Member States pool demand and buy together” and also provide “immediate military equipment for Ukraine”.
The Polish government, which currently has the rotating presidency of the EU and is responsible for chairing ministerial block meetings, will be under pressure to conclude a rapid agreement. The initiative can be approved by the majority of the 27 EU states, but French membership is considered essential even if the country can be exceeded – as shown in the previous EDIF.
“We are at a stage where it must be sorted in the name of speed, not perfection,” said an EU diplomat involved in negotiations. “But if there was a reluctance to RAM 1.5 billion French objections, how should we make 150 billion euros?”
The committee refused to comment.
