Today, S&D MEPs in the committee on security and defence (SEDE) and the committee on industry, research and energy (ITRE) will vote in favour of the European Defence Industrial Programme (EDIP) report. Through their recent work on the EDIP, the S&Ds are ensuring it will serve as a backbone for common European defence and strategic autonomy, securing the budget needed for meaningful impact while protecting the EU as a peace project.
The EDIP will represent a quality step up in defence investment, empowering European industries to independently and sufficiently supply our defence, and promoting joint procurement and maintenance by member states. This maximises the impact of every euro invested in defence, creates quality jobs, boosts competitiveness, and advances Ukraine’s integration into the EU’s defence industrial base.
Yannis Maniatis, S&D vice-president for foreign affairs, security and defence, international energy security and cooperation, and negotiator on the file in ITRE, said:
“As our relationship with the United States is changing rapidly while Russia’s war on Ukraine rages on and hybrid threats to European countries are on the rise, the EU must be prepared to ensure the safety of its citizens, democracies and economies on its own. This means we must strengthen our defence capabilities.
“The EU remains a peace project, and the EDIP is key for our strategic autonomy in defence to be able to protect that peace project. It serves as a cornerstone for EU preparedness, empowering Europe’s defence industries, including supporting small and medium enterprises to meet defence needs and reduce dependencies on third countries. This will create well-paid jobs across the continent.
“With strategic coordination at EU level, as we also did for Covid-19 vaccine production, we can avoid the fragmentation of national defence policies and optimise the use of public funds through joint procurement. By spending together, we will spend efficiently.”
Raphaël Glucksmann, S&D MEP and rapporteur on the file in SEDE, added:
“In the face of Putin’s illegal aggression against Ukraine and growing threats to Europe, I have been working on the EDIP regulation to establish a long-term European defence framework. This will ensure we can deter threats and safeguard our collective security. By earmarking EU funds for European companies, the EDIP strengthens local production, guarantees control over our defence equipment and paves the way to European autonomy.
“The framework will ensure that Europe’s security comes first by prioritising European defence needs in times of crisis. The EDIP is a crucial step towards a truly common European defence, but we still need more common EU funds to stand on our own.
“Through the EDIP, EU countries will also support Ukraine more effectively, integrating it further into the European defence industry. This will involve adopting the ‘Danish model’, where EU countries jointly buy defence products from Ukrainian companies to support Ukraine’s forces. It will also empower the European Commission to act as a central purchasing body on behalf of Ukraine. But there too, more money is needed. As S&Ds, we’re clear: more European funds for a more European defence!"
