EU to boost European military industry through common procurement with EUR 500 million instrument

• Published date: 19 July 2022
• Publication title: LETA

RIGA, July 19 (LETA) - The European Commission on Tuesday adopted a proposal for a Regulation by the European Parliament and the Council establishing the European Defense Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), the EU Commission said on its website.

s announced in the Joint communication on the Defense Investment Gaps in May, the Commission is delivering on its commitment to set up a short-term EU instrument reinforcing European defense industrial capacities through common procurement by EU member states, the European Commission said.

The instrument, responding to the European Council's request, aims to address the most urgent and critical needs for defense products, resulting from Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The Commission proposes to commit EUR 500 million of the EU budget from 2022 to 2024.

The Instrument will incentivize member states, in a spirit of solidarity, to commonly procure and will facilitate access for all member states to urgently needed defense products.

It will avoid competition among member states for the same products and facilitate cost savings. It will strengthen interoperability and allow the European Defense Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) to better adjust and ramp-up its manufacturing capacities to deliver the needed products.

The instrument will support actions from consortia composed of at least three EU member states. Eligible actions can involve new defense procurement projects or the extension of...