The European Union proceeds at full force with its aim of re -entering the continent by 2030. Two weeks after President Ursula von der Leyen has revealed its Rearm Europe plan, the commission presented the white defense photographer, which contains the details on how the proposal and the ‘Rivainess 2030’ roadmap will work.
Thus Europe is rearmed: Von der Leyen’s plan is worth 800 billion
One of the main objectives is to support the local defense industry and push the Member States to make purchases in common, in order to standardize the 27 defense systems and avoid having different types of tanks, war hunting and air defense systems, so as to approach a common army embryo. The goal is also to support the European defense industry, favoring its development and reducing dependence, or at least the excessive dependence, on the US one.
The new world balances
The final goal is to prepare to face a possible Russian threat and respond to the hallway of the United States from the safety of the old continent. The return of Donald Trump to the White House was an electroshock for Europe and, even if nobody says it openly, the US is no longer considered a reliable ally. For this you have to prepare to get by yourself in case of conflict.
In Brussels, war is considered real eventuality, and several European intelligence services are convinced that a Russian attack against an EU country will take place before the end of the decade. “The security architecture on which we have fought can no longer be taken for granted”, warned Von der Leyen, ensuring that “Europe is ready to take a step forward” and to “adopt a proactive security approach”.
At the center of the White Paper are the 150 billion euro tool for the purchase of armaments, called Safe (Security Action for Europe), and the granting of flexibility in public spending, which will allow to exclude the expenses for the defense from the counts for the purposes of the stability pact.
The priorities
The Raadmap ‘Readin 2030’ will have four priorities. The first is the increase in defense expenditure, the second provides for the development of a large-scale pan-European cooperation for the rapid transport of troops and military equipment, the air defense and missile, drones and anti-driver systems, artillery and ammunition, in fact a first step towards a European army. The third aims to increase support for Ukraine, while the fourth aims to strengthen the technological and industrial basis of European defense and to stimulate innovation, because “most of the investments in the defense today go out of Europe”.
According to the Commission, it is necessary to “improve the preparation of Europe to the worst scenarios, improving military mobility, stocks and strengthening external borders, in particular the terrestrial border with Russia and Belarus”, reads a note.
Fill the gaps
The White Paper has solutions to fill what are called “critical gaps” in terms of capacity and to build a “solid industrial base for defense”. To do this, the Commission offers Member States to invest massively in armaments, purchase defense systems and strengthen the preparation of the European defense industry in the long run.
The critical areas in which to invest are air and missile defense, artillery systems, ammunition and missiles, drones and systems for contrasting drones, military mobility, artificial intelligence, quantum war, cybernetic and electronic safety and, finally, the “strategic qualifications”, that is, the combat skills and the protection of critical infrastructures.
Loans
The goal is to mobilize in all 800 billion for armaments in four years. Of these, 150 billion will come from the loans with Safe, granted by the Commission to more advantageous conditions than those of the market, at least for most of the member countries. To support the local industry, these billions must be intended for 65 percent to purchase European weapons.
The Member States, reads the proposal, “are invited to quickly increase collaborative purchases in the defense sector, in line with the aim of at least 40 percent proposed by the European strategy for the defense industry (Edis), also under the aegis of the Safe tool”.
The tool will be open to the 27 member countries, but also to Norway and Ukraine. The invitation to common purchases is also extended to collaborations with third countries, in particular to those with which there are partnerships on the defense (Norway, Moldova, South Korea, Japan, North Macedonia and Albania) and to the countries candidate for adhesion, therefore potentially also to Türkiye. At the moment the United Kingdom is excluded, but negotiations are underway for a strategic safety agreement, so it could be back shortly.
“New jobs. Leonardo is strong”
Weapons purchases should also give an impulse to the development of our defense industry, potentially creating thousands of jobs, also in Italy. “Italy has a rather strong position in the defense and space industry, very strong”, given that “Leonardo is the strongest defense company in Europe, and this also means good jobs”, said the European Commissioner to Defense, Andrius Kubilius, in the press conference for the presentation of the White Paper. “What people should understand is that now for the defense industry there is a very important moment to expand, to grow and create new jobs. And with the rhythm” expenditure “, Italy could not take advantage of such a possibility,” he added.
Flexibility
The other 650 billion should come from the investments of the member countries thanks to the flexibility on the stability pact. This flexibility concerns all defense expenses up to 1.5 percent of the annual GDP and will be granted for four years. The figure of 650 billion derives from the estimate that not all governments will use this flexibility immediately, but progressively. Therefore, a total of 650 billion between 2025 and 2028 is assumed, even if the figure could vary.
