Calling for an increase in defence spending the report notes that member States are rapidly increasing their defence budgets, and twenty-two Member States are committed to allocating 2 % of GDP to defence spending. However, in reality, in 2022 only Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Estonia and Latvia met this commitment, which is also a commitment made by all NATO members.

The three lowest spenders are all EU member states.

The report also calls for EU Defence industries need to secure the production capacity necessary to process orders, as well as critical raw materials and sub-components.

The current war in Ukraine has exposed the low levels of ammunition stocks held by most European countries, including the UK, and an inability to replace ordnance sent to Ukraine due to a lack of production facilities.

The report was authored by Zdzisław Krasnodębski, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, and Michael Gahler, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Main image: Photographer: Denis LOMME Copyright: © European Union 2022 – Source : EP