European Parliament Allows Defense Testing In Ukraine To Be Funded From Special Fund

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Ukrinform reports this, citing the European Parliament's press servic.

“To strengthen cooperation with Ukrainian entities, Members of the European Parliament and the Member States agreed that costs related to conducting testing in Ukraine as a candidate country will be eligible for funding from the European Defence Fund,” the press release said.

The changes simplify the management and implementation of European Defence Fund programs. They also clarify the criteria for selecting defense projects and provide for increased funding for activities involving small and medium-sized enterprises.

The European Parliament broadly endorsed three legislative acts under the Omnibus V package: accelerating permit procedures for defense-readiness projects, simplifying the movement of defense products and procurement within the EU, and facilitating investment in and the activities of the defense industry.

“The proposals are intended to support up to €800 billion in defense investment over the next four years under the ReArm Europe / Readiness 2030 plan, so that Member States and the defense industry can better respond to growing security challenges,” the European Parliament said.

For the construction of defense facilities or the expansion of existing production capacities, a uniform EU-wide standard deadline for permit decisions is being introduced - 42 working days from confirmation that an application is complete.

In exceptional cases, including complex projects or risks to the environment, health, or worker safety, this period may be extended. However, the overall procedure may not exceed 102 working days.

If national authorities fail to make a decision within the prescribed period, the principle of tacit approval will apply. EU Member States must also establish single points of contact to oversee defense projects, provide digital tracking of applications, and assist small and medium-sized enterprises.

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A separate legislative act provides for the introduction of a general license for the movement of defense products between EU countries. This is intended to simplify the operations of defense companies in the European market and make conditions for cross-border supplies more predictable.

The thresholds for applying EU public procurement rules are also being raised, the maximum duration of framework defense contracts is being extended from seven to ten years, and Member States are being given greater opportunities to conduct joint procurement.

EU countries will be allowed to apply certain exemptions from European environmental and chemical legislation in the interests of defense, provided that such decisions are duly justified.

The new rules will enter into force on the twentieth day following their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said that the European Union needs to review rules created for peacetime and build a much more“European architecture” of collective defense capable of deterring threats to the continent.

Photo: Guilhem Vellut

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