European Parliament endorses plan to provide more ammunition for Ukraine

The European Parliament voted on June 1 to approve a draft bill to increase European production of ammunition and missiles, with 446 votes in favour, 67 against and 112 abstentions.

The Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) aims to accelerate the delivery of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine and to help member states restock their arsenals. By introducing targeted measures, including 500 million euro in financing, ASAP aims to ramp up the EU’s production capacity to address the current shortage of defence products, specifically ground-to-ground and artillery ammunition, missiles and their components.

The European Commission will identify, map, and continuously monitor the availability of these defence products, their components, and the corresponding raw materials inputs. The proposal establishes mechanisms, principles, and temporary rules to secure the timely and lasting availability of these defence products for their buyers within the European Union.

The effectiveness of this regulation will be evaluated by mid-2024, taking into account the evolution of the security context. Based on the results, the extension of these measures and the allocation of additional budget may be considered.

The European Commission tabled the ASAP legislation on May 3 2023, and MEPs agreed the same month to trigger the European Parliament’s urgent procedure process to speed up the bill’s approval.

(Photo: EC Audiovisual Service)

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