EU leaders are expected to commit to strengthening European defence at 30-31 May summit, including working on investment gaps identified by European Commission.
“The European Union will resolutely implement the Strategic Compass, reinforce its partnerships, enhance its resilience and increase its security and defence capacity through more and better investments, focusing on identified strategic shortfalls”, says a draft of the 24 May conclusions.
“We need to close our defence investment gaps and join forces as much as possible to maximise our impact”, stressed the European Council President, Charles Michel, on Wednesday 25 May.
Thus, according to the draft conclusions, the leaders call on the EU Council to work on the proposals made by the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union, on 18 May, on defence investment, in particular on joint procurement (see EUROPE 12955/1). The draft conclusions also call on considering further measures to strengthen the capacity and resilience of the European defence industrial and technological sector, including SMEs, and the accelerated implementation of military mobility projects.
Leaders say as well that they are looking forward to the presentation of a possible joint European Defence Investment Programme (EDIP) including a vehicle for a Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption, and European defence projects of high common interest.
See the draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/1t1 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)