Victory for France-backed ‘Buy European’ approach to defence spending

Archive: https://archive.is/2025.03.19-115656/https://www.ft.com/content/eb9e0ddc-8606-46f5-8758-a1b8beae14f1

The planned fund for capitals to spend on weapons would only be open to EU defence companies and those from third countries that have signed defence agreements with the bloc, officials said on Wednesday.

It would also exclude any advanced weapons systems upon which a third country had “design authority” — restrictions on its construction or use of particular components — or control over its eventual use, the officials added.

That would exclude the US Patriot air and missile defence platform, which is manufactured by defence contractor RTX, and other US weapons systems where Washington has restrictions on where they can be used.

The policy is a victory for France and other countries that have demanded a “Buy European” approach to the continent’s defence investment push, amid fears over the long-term dependability of the US as a defence partner and supplier sparked by President Donald Trump.

At least 65 per cent of the cost of the products would need to be spent in the EU, Norway and Ukraine.

EU member states would not be able to spend the money on products “where there can be a control on the use or the destination of that weapon . . . It would be a real problem if equipment acquired by countries cannot be used because a third country would object,” one of the officials said.

  • NewDay@feddit.orgEnglish
    4·
    15 hours ago

    I do not think that there will be a trade pact between UK and EU if the UK will not accept the requirements of the EU. The EU is stronger and has all cards compared to the UK. The anti EU country Switzerland had to accept the EU requirements for Schengen. Switzerland did not comply to some the requirements and the EU did not back up. The result is, e.g., that you cannot buy swiss stocks in European stock exchanges.

    I translated it via DeepL

    The focus here is on the enforcement of EU internal market law in Switzerland. Switzerland, in turn, is blocking or delaying agreed measures because it fears distortions of competition. Negotiations between the European Union and Switzerland on a corresponding framework agreement began back in 2014. In the meantime, the EU had increased the pressure on Switzerland by wanting to devalue the Swiss stock exchange.

    As Switzerland did not react, Switzerland lost its stock market equivalence in June 2019. In concrete terms, this means that Switzerland has been valued as a stock market country like Malaysia, for example, for over five years. After attempts to conclude a framework agreement between the EU and Switzerland also failed in 2021, negotiations were resumed in spring 2024 - so far without success.