The European Commission will continuously identify, map and monitor the availability of these defense products, as well as the imports of the associated raw materials.
The European Parliament supported a bill on Thursday increase European production of munitions and missiles. The Ammunition Production Support Law aims to speed up the delivery of such material to Ukraine and help member states replenish their arsenals.
The law aims to implement specific measures, including an allocation of 500 million euros increase the production capacity of the European Union to cope with the current shortage of defense products, especially ground and artillery munitions, missiles and their respective components.
The European Commission will availability of these defense products, as well as the import of the associated raw materials.
The effectiveness of this scheme will be evaluated mid 2024, taking into account the evolution of the security context. Depending on the results, it will be considered to extend these measures and to allocate an additional budget.
Next steps
The proposal has been endorsed by 446 votes, by 67 against and 112 abstentions. Members of the European Parliament will now start negotiations with the Council, with the aim of reaching a political agreement, which the plenary intends to vote on during the plenary session from 10 to 13 July in Strasbourg.
At the same time, MEPs are working to strengthen Europe’s defense industry through the Common Law on Public Procurement (EDIRPA) to support EU countries in the joint purchase of defense products and coverage of the most urgent and critical deficiencies.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
