The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on new, simplified rules that will speed up arms procurement, the implementation of defence projects and cooperation between European manufacturers. According to the European bureau of Report, citing the Council, the agreement will reduce bureaucratic procedures for procurement and the granting of licences, simplify the movement of defence products between EU countries and expand opportunities for joint procurement.
One of the key changes will be a cap on the time taken to issue permits for defence projects at 102 working days. Thresholds for complex tender procedures are also being raised, which will allow authorities to conclude contracts more quickly and focus on major rearmament programmes. The new rules are expected to help EU countries launch defence projects more quickly, coordinate procurement more easily and reduce the time between decision-making and the delivery of arms and military equipment. The aim is to achieve the plans to strengthen Europe’s defence capabilities by 2030.
