5 days ago
EU green rules blocking military expansion
European countries have blamed the EU's environmental regulations for hindering their preparations for defending against a possible Russian invasion.
In a leaked letter obtained by The Telegraph, the nations' defence ministers argued the rules had stopped the expansion of military bases and prevented fighter jet pilots from training.
'EU legislation may not prevent member states' armed forces from carrying out necessary activities to become operationally ready. But right now, it does,' they wrote in a letter to Andrius Kubilius, the defence commissioner.
'Mainly (but not exclusively) in the areas of procurement legislation, nature conservation and environmental protection, and more generally the administrative burden on defence organisations deriving from various EU legal acts.'
The letter was signed by the Dutch, Swedish, German, Belgian, Czech, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian, Finnish, Estonian and Danish governments.
In 2023, the commission published the 'Greening the armies' report, highlighting ways militaries present a challenge to climate change.
It pushed for European armed forces to consider more virtual training exercises, rather than real-world sessions, to cut down on emissions.
EU sources said directives on habitats, the protection of wild birds and waste were also standing in the way of European preparations for a Russian invasion.
The waste directive, for example, means militaries have to hit certain quotas for waste disposal, which could hinder their ability to exercise with live munitions.
'At the moment, some EU legislation forms a direct obstacle to the armed forces,' they wrote, adding: 'Credible deterrence in practice means growing the armed forces, which requires space for training, including flying, navigating and driving and building appropriate amenities.'
The ministers called for every new piece of EU legislation to be screened for its impact on the Continent's rearmament efforts before it is allowed to enter into force.
'Making the EU legal framework fit for this time, horizontally and especially in non-defence specific areas, is a crucial piece of the readiness puzzle,' they concluded.
The EU has set itself a target to be prepared for a potential Russian invasion in five years' time.
It is hoped the bloc's strategy will see around €800 billion (£674 billion) spent on defence in what period by relaxing debt rules and using joint debt to fund purchases.
The commission had promised to ease regulations that could hinder the rearmament efforts, but have yet to do so in any significant way.
Sustainable finance rules, which state that investments must be made with the environment in mind, have also been considered a hindrance.
Last week, The Telegraph reported that a Swedish businessman attempting to open only the bloc's second military grade TNT factory, used to produce artillery ammunition, land mines and grenades, was being held up by environmental permits.
Vladimir Putin, who European Intelligence officials believed will be ready to attack Nato within five years, does not demand the same environmental protections when opening factories across Russia.
