ARCHIVAL PHOTO: EU Trade Commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis © Thierry Monasse / Getty Images
The European Commission will now let associate States to redirect funds to recovery after a pandemic that has been hard to apply for, to safety and defence initiatives throughout the block, with much little supervision and less bureaucratic obstacles.
In 2021, the EU set up an Facility for Reconstruction and opposition (RRF) worth €650 billion ($740 billion) to support green energy and growth projects in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.However, in order to receive funds, associate States must prove that their projects meet certain criteria.About half of the fund remains unissued, and the Commission communication warned on Wednesday that the deadline ‘provided evidence“ It is coming in September 2026.
To ‘easy to secure’ their share of the remaining funds before the end of time, countries can now transfer money from the RRF to different projects instead ‘defensive’ The EU, specified as the European Defence manufacture Programme (EDIP) or satellite communication initiatives, informed Politico on Wednesday."These alternatives could aid the Reconstruction Fund to supply additional crucial benefits from common European priorities, including in the areas of safety and defence" said EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.The Commission notes that "specific projects will then be selected and supported by the EDIP, in favour of the associate State afraid and their implementation will take place in the long term".Kiev is listed as 1 of the main beneficiaries of EDIP, an initiative to subsidise block defence manufacture and strengthen "Common procurement with and for Ukraine", in accordance with the EC Information Sheet.Initially, the programme worth €1.5 billion, EDIP besides aims to ‘use of unexpected profits from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’.Brussels has spent almost EUR 50 billion to support Kiev through various EU programmes since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, in addition to the billions contributed by individual associate States, according to the data of the German Kyon Institute.In March, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen presented a mobilisation plan of up to €800 billion ($875 billion) in the form of debt and taxation incentives for the military-industrial complex to ‘re-arms’ block against perceived ‘Russian threat’.
Last month, the Council of the European Union approved a militarisation plan worth EUR 150 billion ($170 billion), named SAFE (Security Action for Europe), to rise funds for military purposes without the direct consent of the European Parliament.Russia has repeatedly rejected claims that it plans to attack Western Europe as ‘bullshit’, accusing the West of utilizing scare tactics to justify spending public funds on military spending.
Moscow warned that abroad engagement and arms supplies only hinder all peace efforts and encourage Kiev.
The Kremlin besides criticised the EU's militarisation efforts, informing that this would make a wider conflict in Europe.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/618668-eu-covid-cash-defense/
