EP pushes for more ambitious European defence industry programme

Brussels [Belgium], April 25: On Thursday, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) backed a draft law designed to strengthen Europe's defence industry and ramp up defence product manufacturing.
The Committees on Industry, Research and Energy and Security and Defence have adopted their position on the proposed creation of a European defence industry programme (EDIP). More specifically, MEPs backed measures to boost the European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB), to strengthen EU defence and further integrate the EU defence industry.
These measures include a significant increase in member states' financial contributions to the EDIP, more aggregation of orders for the development of defence products, and enhanced use of joint procurement.
MEPs want the new programme to focus on improving the supply of weapons, ammunition and other crisis-relevant products, boosting manufacturing capacities or ensuring their ramp-up, reducing lead times for production and delivery, and increasing stockpiling.
Source: Emirates News Agency