The EU discusses the establishment of a European joint defense fund, which may be open to non-EU countries such as Ukraine and the UK.

The finance ministers of EU member states held talks on April 12 to discuss the establishment of a joint defense fund named "European Defense Mechanism". This fund may draw on the existing Eurozone stabilization mechanism to purchase and hold military equipment, with member states paying usage fees. The aim is to enhance the level of European defense investment while avoiding increasing the financial burden on individual member states.

According to Reuters, this proposal was first put forward in a policy document prepared by Bruegel for the ministerial meeting, mainly to address the fiscal difficulties in the procurement of military equipment faced by high-debt countries.

The establishment of this fund is also part of the EU's broader efforts to integrate defense capabilities in response to potential threats from Russia. As countries increasingly realize they can no longer fully rely on U.S. security guarantees, strengthening autonomous defense capabilities has become a consensus. However, issues such as the scope of authority, financing methods, member state contributions, and how to create leverage in the market still need to be resolved in both fiscal and military aspects.

This fund may also offer membership to non-EU countries, such as the UK, Ukraine, or Norway. Since the fund will own the purchased equipment, any related debt will be recorded under the fund's accounts rather than individual national budgets.

The "European Defense Mechanism" also aims to promote the establishment of a unified European defense equipment market to reduce costs and integrate resources. Currently, the EU's 27 member states are highly fragmented in military procurement and production; for example, there are seven models of tanks, nine models of self-propelled guns, and seven models of infantry fighting vehicles, leading to severe fragmentation that limits interoperability and increases costs, hindering economies of scale.

The focus of the "European Defense Mechanism" fund will likely be on "strategic support forces," such as the expensive infrastructure and equipment required for military operations typically provided by the U.S. This includes joint command and control systems, satellite intelligence and communication systems, development of advanced weapons systems like fifth-generation or sixth-generation fighter jets, and integrated weapon systems needed across borders (such as strategic air defense, large-scale strategic airlift, maritime logistics, missile and nuclear deterrence systems).

Bruegel noted in its policy document that if Europe can achieve maximum integration in procurement and establish a common defense market including the UK, it could significantly reduce reliance on the U.S. military before 2030. As a major defense industrial power, the participation of the UK would help enhance market competitiveness.

Source: rfi

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829191446530123/

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