After the summit is before the summit. Rarely did such a stand -up hit the situation in the EU so precisely these days.
Thursday late in the evening ended EU heads of state and heads of government their special summit On the subject of defense: with one clear commitment to upgrading Europe, But above all the Financing of this mammoth task. In Exactly two weeks Become again In front of the EU council building in Brussels ancestors – and then they should current decisions in numbers and facts be poured. A precise plan For this should be up to this summit developed by the EU Commission become.
EU defense committee
800 billion euros in expenses for defense: That’s still right simple billthat hired the commission and approved the EU tips on Thursday. The The nation states should go to the majority of this unspleed. The target that is gone over the thumb are 3.5 percent of the economic output Every country in defense expenses.
Brussels covers the states to the states by the Lozen borders for budget deficits and public debt. Money flowing into the military will be taken out of the budget bill. Out of Austria For example, this can afford higher expenses for the army without having to fear a deficit procedure from the EU. Besides that If the EU guarantees loans that take the states – initially up to a total amount of 150 billion euros.
“A first step”
As impressive as these numbers seem, for many they are Plans too vague and too short -term. A “First step” For example, it calls Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Why does that Siegfried Muresan, Romanian Christian Democrat and One of the most important financial politicians in the EU Parliament clearly. First, in order to upgrade Europe’s armed forces and with European weapons Common procurement from tanks to drones And secondly one long -term planning. „Die Armor’s security companies want planning security, If you are supposed to build a new production. ” The Loosen to debt upper limits to a limited extentbe good, but that four years too short. Planning for the long-term EU budget that begins this year would have to provide for higher expenses for defense. What has now been decided “Will not be enough”
Military expenditure
Average they give
EU countries from 1.9 percent of their economic output for defense. The USA 3.4 percent
Differences
Poland and the
Baltic republics have now increased their budget for defense to 3.5 percent. Italy or Spain are 1.5 percent. According to the new government, Austria is targeting two percent
800 billion
the EU countries should issue defense in the next four years. At least that’s the preliminary plan of the EU Commission, which loosens the debt borders for this
“Luxury products”
Joint procurement from then finally joint equipment: This is the only way for Europe’s armed forces that could really be defended. Europe’s arms manufacturers would often offer too expensive products in too small quantities, criticized Riho terrasfor many years commander the Estonia armed forces And today in Defense committee of the EU Parliament: “We need long -term European armamentsbut currently produce the Manufacturer luxury products. They need Change to mid -range. “
The experienced military knows that such changes do not go overnight. At the moment, after three years of war, they are Camps of European poor empty – and Ukraine urgently need weapons: “Short term we will have to buy everything to get something on the world market is to send it to Ukraine. ” After that, however, the Europeans would have to “procure wiser.” It could not be that each army still maintains its own standards for weapons.
Criticism of neutrality
But Terras also addresses a conflict that is currently still being held behind the scenes of the European stage: the ever greater differences in defense expenditure Between the EU countries. While Estonia, the other Baltic states, or Poland Poland the targeted 3.5 percent of the economic output for defense spend, The bucket Many states in the west of Europe, for example Italy ‘or Spain afterwards. “Solidarity in Europe also has to be reflected in the defense spending,” criticizes the Este: “As an intermediary with Washington, Italy brings into play as an intermediary, but does not do enough to support Ukraine.” He sees the attitude of Austria similarly critically, which is hidden behind its neutrality: “In today’s situation, it is not possible for an EU member country to be neutral. That is not justifiable morally. “