Latest news with #WhitePaperontheFutureofEuropeanDefence
Euronews
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Brussels looking to beef up the EU's collective defence clause
The EU's highest military body is looking into strengthening the bloc's mutual defence clause with a view of boosting interoperability and military mobility among European armed forces as the US increasingly looks to the Asia-Pacific. Austrian General Robert Brieger stressed on Thursday following a gathering of the European Union Military Committee, which he chairs, that the EU needs a "clear holistic approach" when it comes to defence and that Chiefs of Defence taking part in the meeting had issued "recommendations for the operationalisation of Article 42.7". Article 42.7 is the EU's mutual defence clause, in force since 2009, which provides that "if an EU country is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other EU countries have an obligation to aid and assist it by all means in their power". It was triggered once following the terrorist attack in Paris on November 13, 2015, but is generally seen as weaker than the collective defence clause in NATO, which was created some six decades earlier. That's in part because it stipulates that "commitments and cooperation in this area shall be consistent with commitments under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which, for those States which are members of it, remains the foundation of their collective defence and the forum for its implementation". Some 23 of the EU's 27 members also belong to NATO. The reason for the potential revamp, General Brieger told reporters, is "that we found out that the concentration of European Union security and defence posture to international crisis management is not enough for the time being and it's not fit for the future". "So we need to clarify the role of European armed forces within the territorial defence of the continent. There is a clear need for close cooperation with NATO and for sure collective defence will rest in the hands of the Atlantic alliance but we know that the US is shifting their interest to the Indo-Pacific and there is a clear need to do more on European soil and by European member states." "And therefore we advise the politicians to think about a more concrete definition of Article 42.7: What is the concrete role? What could be the best delineation with the tasks of NATO?" he added. Examples he provided included improving military mobility across Europe and boosting the protection of critical infrastructure. "The advantage of the European Union institutions is for sure that the European Union is capable of acting in all fields of politics, economy, security and military. So we have more tools than NATO and we try to find the best way to complement each other," he added. Military mobility was identified as a priority in the White Paper on the Future of European Defence that was released in March by the European Commission and that set out the bloc's strategy to reduce military dependencies on third countries and boost the deployment of military equipment across member states. Other priorities include air and missile defence, artillery systems, ammunition and missiles, drones and counter-drone systems, AI, Quantum, cyber and electronic warfare and strategic enablers. The EU executive, which hopes that up to €800 billion euros could be invested in defence over the next four years in the bloc, is urging member states to pool orders to reduce costs and increase interoperability. It plans to loan up to €150 billion it will raise on the market to member states who do so, provided they buy European and focus on priority capabilities. Member states are expected to conclude negotiations on this €150 billion instrument by the end of the month which could mean some of the money starts being disbursed at the very end of the year. Leaders are also expected to approve common European flagship projects at their summit in June. The gathering in Brussels will immediately follow a meeting of NATO leaders in the Hague where the Alliance is set to announce a new defence spending target. "Europe is at a crossroads. The threats we face are real, complex, and interconnected," said General Brieger, who will step down from his role in two weeks. "Responding to them requires more than declarations. It requires political will, unity, and the means to act. A strong Europe must be a secure Europe. Moreover, a secure Europe must take its defence and its global role seriously."
Euronews
14-03-2025
- Business
- Euronews
More, better, European: White Paper maps path for EU rearmament
Member states must spend more, better and European, EU Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius and the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas urge in a draft of the upcoming White Paper on the Future of European Defence, seen by Euronews. 'Rebuilding European defence requires a massive investment over a sustained period,' the Commissioners argue, adding that only through joint initiatives and coordination will EU countries be able to make a difference. In 2024, member states reached a record investment of €326 billion, but the latest estimates indicate that at least €500 billion will be needed to plug the bloc's critical capability gaps over the next decade. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented a five-point plan last week to rearm the continent, detailing how to mobilise up to €800 billion over the coming years. This includes a new instrument of €150 billion in loans for member states to spend on joint procurement for defence and security. Now, the EU executive will also consider reviewing the bloc's Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR) to assess whether defence can be considered 'an investment goal in the sustainability framework.' Creating a single market for defence, simplifying rules, and benefiting from economies of scale by working together are additional ways the Commission proposes to make more efficient use of the available funds. 'Coordinating spending boosts member states' bargaining power, lowers prices per unit, and strengthens industrial consolidation,' the 20-page document says. Kallas and Kubilius advocate for collaborative procurement and large-scale pan-European defence projects to go hand in hand in the coming years, leaving member states the power to decide on the format and purpose – i.e., to address which critical capability shortfalls. The Commission has identified seven key critical capability projects, covering areas such as military mobility, drones and counter-drone systems, AI, quantum, cyber and electronic warfare, and air and missile defence. The EU executive will also consider introducing a European preference into public procurement rules for strategic defence-related sectors and technologies, likely to be reviewed in 2026. The ultimate goal of simplifying rules, cutting red tape, and promoting more joint purchases and production is to create a true European single market for defence, addressing the long-standing fragmentation of a predominantly national-focused market. Von der Leyen's second-mandate aspirations include creating 'one of the largest domestic defence markets in the world,' aimed at boosting competitiveness, defence readiness, and industrial scale to help the bloc compete with global players such as China and the US. The white paper – still subject to change – also asserts that Europe must urgently rearm itself, as it faces medium-term challenges beyond Russia's potential military aggression, particularly in the unstable greater Middle East. As the new US administration increasingly shifts its attention towards the Indo-Pacific, 'Europe cannot take the US security guarantee for granted and must substantially step up its contribution to preserve NATO strong,' the paper reads. Reducing dependencies on third countries, especially in the global technology race, is another priority highlighted by the EU Commissioners. Disruptive technologies such as AI, cloud and quantum computing, and autonomous systems are already shaping the battlefield, the paper warns, adding that the EU's strategic competitors are heavily investing in these areas. 'While dependencies from Russia have been significantly reduced, many member states still heavily depend on technologies from third countries, including China and the US,' the paper says. The opening of Euronews's new Polish edition on Thursday was attended by representatives from Polish media, politics and civil society, highlighting their country's role in shaping the European information ecosystem. Euronews journalists interviewed Polish leaders, current and former ministers for an exclusive edition of The Europe Conversation, a television programme in which guests discussed key issues affecting Poland and Europe. In an interview, Poland's Interior and Administration Minister Tomasz Siemoniak addressed the issue of relations with the US administration and the future of NATO. "I assess these relations as very good," Siemoniak said. "There was President Andrzej Duda with President Trump. Minister Sikorski spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he spoke with the president's national security adviser. All this took place recently. There was the secretary of defence of the United States in Poland; it was his first visit." "These messages are strong and unequivocal." Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, commenting on the EU's security plans, pointed out that European countries will not be able to replace the US' presence and contributions to European security, which the Trump administration is already rolling back. "In the West we have two powerful blocs, with one having both military and economic power and the other only economic power," said Morawiecki. "The former is, of course, the Americans. Without the Americans, it is hard to imagine a lasting peace. Without American support, we in Europe could not be at peace for decades." "It is thanks to American support and presence in Europe that the Cold War was also won." Watch the interviews from the Euronews Polish launch event in the player above.
