The European Parliament called on the EU, on Wednesday 18 December, to strengthen its strategic sovereignty and accelerate its joint efforts to develop the necessary defence capabilities and to show greater willingness to continue to act as one to provide the security expected by the Union’s citizens.
Adopting the report by Tom Vandenkendelaere (EPP, Belgian) on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) by 459 votes to 93 with 85 abstentions, MEPs stress the need to make full use of EU initiatives and budgets to “fill critical capability gaps and ensure rapid deployment of armed forces, replenish stocks, reduce fragmentation in the public procurement defence sector” and strengthen the supply chains of the European defence technological and industrial base.
The European Parliament deplores the fact that Member States are still not making full use of the Permanent Structured Cooperation facility, calling on the High Representative and Member States to conduct a thorough review of project results and prospects.
While welcoming the increase in the ceiling of the European Peace Facility, MEPs reiterate the need to further raise the ceiling and create a separate envelope for Ukraine to ensure adequate support. They also call on the Member States to step up their military assistance to Kyiv, “in particular the supply of weapons that meet clearly identified needs”, and thus invite the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to allow the delivery of Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine without further delay.
The European Parliament also calls for the strengthening of security and defence partnerships with like-minded partners around the world.
MEPs also stress that CSDP missions and operations should have more robust and flexible mandates.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/4y3 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)