Eleven European Union defense ministers have warned that existing EU bureaucracy is hampering the bloc’s military readiness, calling for urgent legislative changes in a joint letter addressed to the European Commission.
The letter, published by Euractiv, urges defense commissioner Andrius Kubilius to overhaul procurement and environmental rules as part of the Commission’s upcoming defense simplification package, expected in June. The ministers stress that current regulations present “a direct obstacle” to the operational capability of EU armed forces.
The so-called ‘omnibus’ package is a key element of the Commission’s broader strategy to boost defense production across Europe. Earlier this month, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Kubilius held talks with European defense industry leaders to refine the initiative.
Governments and defense firms have long lobbied for the easing of environmental regulations to improve access to private funding. The Commission has previously indicated it is considering revisions to the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, framework investors use to evaluate a company’s responsible practices to stimulate defense-related investment.
However, the ministers emphasized that the focus should not be limited to industry alone. “The letter proposes a mandatory readiness and defense check to ensure that new EU laws do not compromise military preparedness,” it reads.
