During the plenary session (26-29 April 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on European Defence Fund: opening statements by Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur and by Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Brussels

statement

debate

plenary session

common security and defence policy (T)

KRASNODĘBSKI, Zdzisław (ECR, PL)

Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 (T)

BRETON, Thierry (FR, EC)

European Defence Fund: opening statements by Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur and by Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market

SOUNDBITE (Original), Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&D, PT), EP Vice-President, The proposed act is adopted. We are now able to move on to the next item of our agenda. This is a recommendation for second reading put forward by Mr. Krasnodebski on the European Defence Fund.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&D, PT), EP Vice-President, To kick off this item on the agenda, I would like to give the floor to the rapporteur, our colleague, Mr Krasnodebski

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, President, Commissioner, I have to say, I am extremely happy that after three years over two terms of office, five trialogues, three presidencies and numerous number of meetings with shadow rapporteurs, actually the composition was changing all the time as well. Finally, finally, we have a chance to conclude legislative procedure in the second reading. And as a result, I hope that we will finally have the EDF for 2021-2027 European Defence Fund.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, But maybe a few words would this fund is and what this fund isn't. It's a proposal of the European Commission, as you remember, in May 2018. And because there are many urban legends around the fund, both positive and negative. EDF, first of all, it's not just the first step to create a European army and so the moneys will not be used by member states to purchase military equipment together.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, The dreams of the first European platoon or in legion or any other sort of formation will have to be really left for the future. Over eight billion euros finally earmarked for the fund will be earmarked for the defence policy of the EU, but developed as defence research projects run together by all member states, which is also very important. EDF will not support bilateral cooperation because the minimum number of participants would have to be at three, so at least three member states would have to cooperate.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, The objective of the fund is not only to support defence research projects for the European defence system, but also a broadly understood, for instance, delivery trains with new entities included, also entities from outside of the sector. Also, if you look at the preferential conditions, this they will apply, for instance, to SMEs and also to Medium-Sized or mid-cap entities. And last but not least. It's important to make sure that we have a level playing field for all countries of the EU.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, As a result with the new European Defence Fund will be able to reduce the budgets of individual member states between 20. The reduction will amount to around 20 to 100 billion euros per member states, depending on what they have now as their budgets related to what they do at the level of the NATO or in any other form of defence capability. Also, we will be able to go further with new technologies owing to cooperation with international partners, which will be extremely important for those countries that do not have such a developed system in this regard.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, And I think this is one of the key advantages of the of the new fund. Another thing very important, where the threats lie, threat number one, member states. For member states to be able to purchase certain products that will be developed under the fund's, we will have to apply adequate conditions because the fund has to be very practical in its nature. So here the European Commission comes into play with a new director general for Cosmos and Defence Industry.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, Because it will be very important the decisions on which programmes will be finally selected by the European Commission, so we as the European Parliament will be closely monitoring how the EDF is being put in place. And if this fund fails to meet its objectives, we will call on the European Commission to review the legislation if our expectations are not met. We wanted to make sure that the funds are distributed equally, fairly and in a transparent manner.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, I know that some of you hesitate when it comes to supporting this text due to ideological reasons. I would like to tell you that one of the key successes, especially if you compare it to what we had before, the European Defence Industrial Development Programme IDP, is the fact that now we have the so-called ethical control over finance projects. Also, we have more restrictive clauses on new technologies, especially those technologies that will be excluded from funding.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, I remember very lengthy talks about that. So I really appreciate concessions provided by the council in this regard. I would also like to emphasise that I'm convinced that the current competition between the US and China paired with lack of stability to the south and to the east of the European Union. Yesterday, we had a debate on this with the high representative. All this together makes it obvious that European Union should focus more on defence.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Zdzisław KRASNODĘBSKI (ECR, PL), rapporteur, However, we have to remember that it's the NATO and strong transatlantic allies would be the key for our defence capability. And this is not it's not likely to change soon. But obviously, as Europeans, we should strive to do more for our defence. The objective of the fund is to support joint European defence research projects. In the ITRE committee, the vast majority voted for the text. To protect this deal with the Council, I would like to ask you to reject all plenary amendments and to vote for the text as it was originally negotiated. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Thank you very much. President. Ladies and gentlemen, members of the European Parliament, rapporteur. I'm very happy to be here today, to talk to you about defence and more specifically about the European Defence Fund. First of all, I'd like to thank Mr. Krasnodebski for the work he's done for ITRE as rapporteur. And also, Mr. Buzek, the President of this Committee and all the shadows. This has taken a long time, of course, its long term work on this issue that we're talking about this morning in this chamber.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, And I really would like to thank everybody who's played an important role throughout these months in order to underpin the ambitions of the EDF and particularly Jean-Claude Juncker. The European Defence Fund is a significant point in our integration in Europe with different types of defence throughout Europe. And we have different views of defence. However, while taking account of all sensibilities, we have to somehow get beyond this and to find agreement for industrial cooperation in the context of defence.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, This is a historical step forward. The EDF is an essential step towards European defence. It is a new development in our interdependence for defence and in our ability to build bridges for real European defence. We can no longer be dependent on choices made by others. Either because of the state of the situation or because of health, for example, in the covid we've seen, that we can't just be left to taking these bad choice. It's the same with the semiconductors it's the same with space. We saw that in the context of the debate yesterday.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, And it's exactly the same situation when we talk about defence capabilities. We can't be dependent on the least bad choice or choice of others. We must gradually be able to add to our soft power arsenal with more and more hard power, we must increasingly be able to take our own security into our own hands and to be a security player on the world stage. The EDF is an essential combination of an essential building block in increasing independence for Europe and our capability of defending our own values.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, It also makes it a more credible partner with our allies in NATO, for example, because the EDF, which we constructed together, has a number of key elements. And if I may, I would just like to emphasise a few of them. First of all, it was designed to be resolutely European fund and a fund, which is of benefit to all member states. That, of course, is the key to its success. And you can trust me, I will keep particularly weather eye on that. It also enshrines European cooperation and industry.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, We have a number of countries involved in all projects, and for each of these projects, we support the involvement of SMEs. It also has an encouragement to open the supply chain so that we have a real European industry for defence. It is, of course, it has seven million euro budget. It fits in with European Security and defence fund and has a number of objectives which has been set out by member states. Although it is European, it also allows for cooperation with non European players under certain conditions.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, 8% of the budget is going to be for innovation, which will encourage new players and start ups. This is a new initiative which will be running through a number of precursors. The European funds to the developing industry in the interest of defence. We already finance for funds with defence spent. 9 of the 16 projects which are being funded are being funded. We also have 200 other projects being funded, including some for Norway, which shows we really constructed a forward looking market, we continue to work on this.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Ladies and gentlemen, members of the European Parliament. I would like to conclude by saying that with the European Defence Fund, we have a paradigm shift in the context of cooperation for European defence. This is essential for the place of Europe in the world. You can, of course, count 100 percent of my commitment to ensure that we fulfil this ambition. Thank you.