Defence: EU Court of Auditors warns of inefficient arms procurement
EU countries are investing billions in their defence. But because of a lack of coordination, this money risks being squandered without improving Europe's defence capabilities.
The European Court of Auditors has warned that despite record investments in defence, Europe still faces challenges in achieving defence readiness by 2030. The court criticised the lack of coordination in defence procurement, leading to waste and duplication, and warned that debt-financed rearmament could threaten the long-term sustainability of public finances.
EU member states' defence spending is set to reach 454 billion euros this year, up 79% from 2020, but the court says a top-down planning process is needed to address capability gaps. The European Defence Fund has 7 billion euros to finance multilateral research and development projects, but joint initiatives have had limited success.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
