A Europe that defends and protects
Commission sets out scenarios for a European defence policy by 2025 and proposes a European Defence Fund.
Moving towards a Security and Defence Union
Citizens expect a European Union that defends and protects them. 75% of EU citizens are in favour of a common European security and defence policy. Delivering on these expectations has been apriority of the Juncker Commission since day 1. Following the White Paper on the Future of Europe launched on 1 March 2017, the Commission presented today a reflection paper which outlines different scenarios on how to address the growing security and defence threats facing Europe and enhance Europe's own defence abilities by 2025.
The reflection paper is complemented by concrete legislative proposals for a European Defence Fund which will support more cooperation and efficient spending by Member States on defence technology and equipment.
The three different scenarios are:
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-Security and Defence Cooperation: the EU27 Member States would cooperate on security and defence more frequently, on a largely voluntary basis, depending on ad-hoc decisions when need arises, and rely on initial economies of scale.
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-Shared Security and Defence: the EU27 Member States would move towards shared security and defence, showing greater financial and operational solidarity and would enhance their ability to project military power, fully engaging in external crisis management and building partners' security and defence capacities. Considerable economies of scale in the defence market at European scale would be in place, with favourable financing conditions across the defence supply chain.
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-Common Defence and Security: the EU27 Member States would deepen cooperation and integration towards a common defence and security. Solidarity and mutual assistance would become the norm, underpinned by a certain level of integration of Member States' defence forces. Member States would have more efficient defence spending through more economies of scale, specialisation, sharing of expensive military assets and technological innovation aimed at reducing defence costs, and would be better equipped to face international competition.
These scenarios are not mutually exclusive, but illustrate three different levels of ambition. Member States will be in the driving seat, defining the level of ambition with the support of the EU institutions. Looking to the future, Member States must now decide the path they want to take and speed they want to go at to protect Europe's citizens.
The European Defence Fund launched today will help Member States spend taxpayers' money more efficiently, reduce duplications in defence spending and get better value for their investments. The Fund will boost the EU's excellence and efficiency in defence equipment and technology by supporting the whole production chain: research, prototype development, and acquisition.
Until 2020, the Commission will allocate €590 million to the European Defence Fund. As of 2020, the Commission is proposing to allocate at the minimum €1.5 billion per year. The Fund is not designed to substitute Member States' defence investments, but to enable and accelerate their cooperation.
Together with Member States' contributions to finance joint development projects, the Fund could generate a total investment in defence research and capability development of €5.5 billion per year after 2020.
Other issues - Commission Presents strategy for resilience building, registers "Stop extremism" European Citizens' Initiative
The European Commission together with the High Representative Federica Mogherini presented today a new strategy for resilience building, aiming to move from crisis containment to a more structural and long-term approach to global challenges. It puts a particular emphasis on anticipation, prevention and preparedness.
The Commission has today also decided on the partial registration of a European Citizens' Initiative entitled "Stop extremism" inviting the Commission to "propose legislation in order to prevent the adverse consequences of extremism, above all for the Internal Market". The Commission's decision to register the Initiative concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The Commission has not analysed its substance at this stage. Should the Initiative receive one million statements of support within one year from at least seven different Member States, the Commission will have to react within three months.
Related links
Press release - A European Defence Fund: €5.5 billion per year to boost Europe's defence capabilities
Press release - A Europe that defends: Commission opens debate on moving towards a security and defence union
Questions and Answers - The Future of European defence
Reflection paper on the future of European Defence
Factsheet on the case for greater EU cooperation on security and defence
European Political Strategy Centre note on the future of European defence
The European Defence Fund - Frequently Asked Questions
Factsheet on the European Defence Fund
Communication "Launching the European Defence Fund"
Audiovisual material
Read-out of the College meeting of 7 June 2017 by Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and HRVP Federica Mogherini on the Reflection Paper on the future of European Defence by 2025, and on the proposal for a European Defence Fund