European defence projects should not be only about arming

“The priority in defence projects should be the modernisation of dual-use infrastructure, technological development and protection systems. The funds should not be focused solely on weapons production.” This was stated at a meeting of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence by Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin, who, as rapporteur for the Group of Socialists and Democrats, presented the amendments he tabled to the new regulation on faster permitting for defence projects.

Faster but realistic permit procedures

He noted that when it comes to issuing permits, faster procedures are needed, but they have to be realistic, legally sound and workable for national administrations. Vigenin highlighted three important aspects:

“The European Commission’s proposal fixes the permitting period at 60 calendar days, but this is risky, especially for more complex projects. I insist that the deadline be extended to 60 working days, so the process stays fast but becomes more realistic. Automatic approval when no decision is taken, as the European Commission proposes, brings legal uncertainty and runs counter to national procedures. It could even lead to more refusals, as administrations try to protect themselves and avoid tacit consent. We believe this provision should be dropped. I also tabled additional amendments to make sure that speeding up the procedures will not come at the expense of social, environmental and labour standards.”

Next steps in the negotiations

The MEP said that negotiations with the other political groups will continue in the coming weeks. He expressed hope that solutions can be reached that both widen the opportunities for new projects and guarantee that the necessary standards are met.