European Defence Fund

Subject: European Defence Fund

The European Defence Fund (EDF) is to allocate EUR 13 billion to the research and development of military technology. The aim is to support the competitiveness of the armaments industry. The budget cycle for 2021 to 2027 should address EDF funding requirements.

Of the 16 members of the advisory Group of Personalities (GoP), nine are represented in the arms industry. Six members of the GoP out of the nine arms industry representatives draw European subsidies through the first defence fund projects. Information on Commission advisers helping to implement subsidies is not public. Decision 811/2017/EA of the European Ombudsman is being ignored.

1. Can the Commission say how the financing of EDF costs is planned and how this will affect EU funds and programmes?

2. How is transparency ensured in implementing subsidies, and when will Decision 811/2017/EA of the Ombudsman be fulfilled?

3. Do guarantees exist that the EDF will be used to protect Europe’s citizens, and that the subsidies will not be used to support the development of arms for export?

Answer given by Ms Bieńkowska on behalf of the European Commission (7 March 2019)

The Commission proposal laying down the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027 (1) aims at providing adequate support for new and existing priorities. In this context, the Commission proposed to support research and development actions in the defence sector, corresponding to priorities decided by Member States.

The proposed approach is a balanced one. The proposed EU long-term budget caters for new priorities, including defence, while preserving existing well-functioning programmes with an appropriate mix of fresh money and redeployments.

The text of the regulation establishing the European Defence Fund on which the European Parliament and the Council have reached a provisional agreement foresees that, in addition to annual reporting, the Commission will carry out an interim and a final evaluation of the Fund, the conclusions of which will be transmitted to the European Parliament.

In view of the suggestions made in Decision 811/2017/EA of the European Ombudsman the Commission published meeting agendas, minutes and participants’ submissions related to the work of the Group of Personalitie s (2) except where disclosure would undermine the protection of any public or private interest as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No1049/2001.

The draft Regulation specifies that EU support will target the development of actions and technologies consistent with capability priorities commonly agreed by the Member States within the framework of Common Foreign and Security Policy (3).

It is also proposed that transfers of results and granting of licences to non-associated third countries or entities should not contravene the defence and security interests of the Union and its Member States or the objectives the regulation (4).

⋅1∙ COM(2018) 322 final: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1527241903201&uri=CELEX%3A52018PC0322

⋅2∙ https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/34042

⋅3∙ In particular Article 3(2)(b) of the proposal for a regulation establishing the European Defence Fund regarding the objectives of the Fund.

⋅4∙ Articles 22(4) and 25(3).