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.

  • miskOPEnglish
    41·
    11 hours ago

    We should definitely stop selling weapons there but do we even buy anything from there? They have their own heavy vehicles and AA but I’d be surprised to see a Merkava tank or something in a European army and Iron Dome only works on rocket equivalent of rocks thrown over a wall.

    [edit] we probably get ammo

    • Melchior@feddit.orgEnglish
      4·
      10 hours ago

      PULS is bought by Germany and Spain, with the Netherlands and Denmark using it already.

      Germany has also bought Arrow3 as a anti ballistic missile AA system. There is nothing like it available in the EU.

      • miskOPEnglish
        1·
        10 hours ago

        Lots of those advanced Israeli AA weapons are developed together with US defence contractors and multinationals (Arrow3 = Boeing, David’s Sling = Raytheon) so one could hope they’re off the table too.

    • biofaust@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      12 hours ago

      We already know different countries buy intelligence software for law enforcement purposes. I would not be surprised if other intelligence and cyber warfare suppliers were Israeli.

      • miskOPEnglish
        1·
        11 hours ago

        I doubt tools for policing citizens are in scope of this fund.

        • biofaust@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          11 hours ago

          If you abstract to intelligence tools, which is what they are, I am quite sure they will be included.

          EDIT: and indeed they are

          • miskOPEnglish
            1·
            10 hours ago

            Thanks for finding this! Still holding on to the hope that there’s a difference between electronic warfare and electronic surveillance.