European Parliament backs amending major EU programmes to facilitate spending on defence projects
The European Parliament voted on December 16 to approve amending the rules for existing EU programmes to allow more EU funding to be directed towards defence-related investment,
The text was adopted by 519 votes to 119, with 25 abstentions.
The programmes involved are the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform, Horizon Europe, the European Defence Fund, the Digital Europe programme and the Connecting Europe Facility.
The Horizon Europe programme for research will support civil applications with potential military applications (dual use), while also advancing civilian applications.
“Defence technologies” will be added as a fourth strategic sector under the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP).
Support should be extended to small and medium-sized companies, including start-ups and small mid-caps that would otherwise struggle to secure financing.
The legislation will also allow EU funding for dual-use transport infrastructure under the Connecting Europe Facility, including military mobility corridors, where the European Commission will be able to set conditions relating to the country of origin of the equipment, goods, supplies or service to be used.
During negotiations with the Council of the EU over the bill, the European Parliament widened the scope of the measures to include the objective of enhancing resilience in the face of ongoing hybrid attacks and foreign interference.
MEPs also advocated for the legislation to allow for more support for Ukraine’s defence industry, and secured the country’s participation in the European Defence Fund.
