European Defense: The four axes announced by the EU

Today presented the long -awaited “White Paper for European Defense” – a European re -equipment plan, which the Commission calls “European Defense Readiness 2030”.

According to the 22 -page document of the White Bible, by 2030 Europe must urgently and quickly be re -equipped to have a strong defensive stance and a “reliable deterrent” mechanism.

“We are at a hub for European security and a hub for action,” said EU High Representative Kaya Calas, while the ‘Defense’ Commissioner Andrew button noted that “if we want peace we must prepare for war”.

The four priorities

According to the Defense Commissioner, four are the key priorities of the plan for Europe’s defense readiness by 2030:

1. The first priority is to increase defense spending. The Commission presented the “Rearm Europe” plan two weeks ago to mobilize 800 billion investment. euro in European defense. This plan includes a new medium-called “Safe”-which can quickly provide Member States of 150 billion loans. euro for investment in defense. At the same time, the Commission proposes the activation of the so-called “national escape clause” to give Member States greater flexibility to spend more on defense without violating the budgetary rules that limit the deficit limit to 3% of GDP. This has the ability to mobilize additional defense spending up to 1.5% of GDP, or about 650 billion euros in the next four years. At the same time, the Commission is working to derive private funding – either from the EIB or from the capital markets.
2. The second priority is to fill the gaps of Europe’s defense potential by 2030, which should be done in a “European way”, as noted in the White Paper. This means “large -scale, pan -European cooperation” to tackle gaps in priority areas, such as military mobility, air and anti -missile defense investments, artillery systems, ammunition and rockets, drones, use of military or military. Today most of the defense investments is going out of Europe and this trend has to change, starting with investment in Europe, is noted in the White Paper.
3. The third priority is to strengthen Europe’s defense industrial base. Today, Europe’s defense industrial base still has structural weaknesses: it is not yet able to produce defense systems and equipment in the quantities and speeds needed by Member States and remains too fragmented with dominant national agents supplying domestic markets. According to the Commission, companies need a steady flow of many years of orders to direct their investment. To this end, a “European Military Sales Mechanism” will be created, as the Commission President has stated.
4. The fourth and “most strategic” priority for European defense is Ukraine. As the President of the Commission has stated, “we must make Ukraine strong enough – like a” steel hedgehog ” – to be striking in a potential invader.” The EU has already invested about 50 billion. EUR in military support and has trained more than 73,000 Ukrainian soldiers, while Ukraine’s accession perspective in the EU remains strong. The Commission has announced that a common Task Force with Ukraine will be created, which will coordinate EU military support. The aim is to invest in Ukraine’s defense and military strengthening and to accelerate the integration of its defense industry into the European Defense Equipment Market.

Enhanced security through partnerships

Through the White Bible, in the paragraph “Enhanced Security through Partnerships”, the Commission leaves the door open in partnerships with third countries. These are also part of Turkey, which is explicitly referred to as a potential partner in these defensive initiatives provided respect for the decisions of the European Council of April 2024. Potentially the British and the British, Canada and Canada and Norbia, and Norbia and Norou neighboring countries.

In particular, for Turkey, the following are mentioned: “Turkey is a candidate for EU accession and a long -term partner in the field of Joint Security Policy and Defense. The EU will continue to be constructively committed to developing a mutually beneficial partnership in all areas of common interest based on the equal commitment by Turkey to proceed with a course of cooperation on all important issues towards the EU, according to the conclusions of the European Council of April 202.

In general, it is noted that “security challenges often have a global impact, demanding international cooperation”, that “Russia’s full -scale war against Ukraine has a large -scale impact beyond Europe” and therefore, therefore “Cooperation with partners is crucial in addressing the challenges of European defense and for the diversification of suppliers and reduce dependencies.”.

It is also noted that “NATO remains the cornerstone of its members’ collective defense in Europe” and that EU-NATO cooperation is an essential pillar for the development of EU security and defense. “