Next long-term EU Budget 2021-2027
Stepping up the EU’s role as a security and defence provider
For the next long-term EU budget 2021-2027, the Commission proposed today to increase the EU's strategic autonomy, bolster the EU's ability to protect its citizens and make the EU a stronger global actor.
A €13 billion European Defence Fund will provide the financial firepower for cross-border investments in state-of-the-art and fully interoperable technology and equipment in areas such as encrypted software and drone technology. The new €13 billion European Defence Fund will provide €4.1 billion to directly finance competitive and collaborative research projects, in particular through grants. Beyond the research phase, €8.9 billion will be available to complement Member States' investment by co-financing the costs for prototype development and the ensuing certification and testing requirements. The Fund will place the EU among the top 4 defence research and technology investors in Europe, and act as a catalyst for an innovative and competitive industrial and scientific base.
In addition, the High Representative, with the support of the Commission, is proposing today a new €10.5 billion European Peace Facility, an instrument outside of the EU's long-term budget, which will help improve the EU's ability to prevent conflicts, build peace and guarantee international security. It will increase the effectiveness of financing for Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) military missions and operations. It will also facilitate the EU's contributions to peace operations led by partners and it will broaden the scope of the military and defence support the EU can offer. The European Peace Facility will cover expenditure that cannot be financed under the EU's budget because of its military and defence implications.
The Commission has also proposed to substantially increase the current security funding - from €3.5 billion to €4.8 billion. With threats increasingly complex and international in nature, EU funds can help build a Union resilient to future security challenges and better equipped to respond to emergencies. The €2.5 billion under the reinforced Internal Security Fund (ISF) is complemented by almost €1.2 billion for safer decommissioning of nuclear activities in some Member States, and comes in addition to €1.1 billion for stronger EU Agencies in the area of security.
The reinforced Internal Security Fund will focus on increasing the exchange of information between EU law enforcement authorities; intensifying cross-border joint operations; and strengthening capabilities to combat and prevent crime, and to tackle radicalisation. This will support Member States in a more flexible and effective way to deliver on priority security areas: the fight against terrorism and radicalisation; serious and organised crime; cybercrime; and the protection of victims of crime.
The EU's nuclear decommissioning assistance programmes (NDAP) aim to assist Member States in the process of winding and shutting down those nuclear installations in the final step in their lifecycles, while keeping the highest level of safety. For 2021-2027, the Union will continue to provide strictly targeted financial support in the amount of €118 million for decommissioning in Bulgaria and Slovakia, and €552 million for nuclear decommissioning in Lithuania. Another €348 million will be allocated for decommissioning and radioactive waste management of the European Commission's nuclear research facilities, and €160 million will support general nuclear safety and safeguards actions.
Finally, the Commission proposed to reinforce the EU Civil Protection Mechanism through its rescEU system with €1.4 billion - this comes in addition to the €4.8 billion for the future security funding.
Related links
Press release - Stepping up the EU's role as a security and defence provider
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-Proposal for a Regulation establishing the European Defence Fund COM(2018) 476
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-Annex to the Proposal for a Regulation
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-Impact Assessment SWD(2018) 345
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-Summary of the impact assessment
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-Factsheet: The European Defence Fund
Factsheet: The European Peace Facility
Questions and Answers: The European Peace Facility
Press release - Current security funding
Questions & Answers - EU Budget: Reinforced security funding for 2021-2027