On Thursday 25 January, the European Commission opened infringement procedures against Denmark, Italy, and the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal because they have either failed to apply the EU rules on calls for tender on the defence and security markets or have applied these rules poorly.
It has therefore decided to send letters of formal notice to Italy, Poland and Portugal for having directly awarded several defence contracts to national suppliers in breach of the Defence Procurement Directive (2009/81/EC).
Denmark and the Netherlands also received this letter because the Commission is concerned that they have imposed unjustified offset requirements demanding compensation from non-national suppliers when purchasing defence equipment from them, which would be incompatible both with the EU Treaty and with correct transposition and application of the Defence Procurement Directive.
The five member states now have two months to respond to the arguments made by the Commission. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)