Europe is at war with Russia

The European Commission has obliged arms companies in the EU to supply ammunition to member states, for them to transfer to Ukraine.In other words, Europe decides to raise the level of its involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, against Russia. According to the German newspaper Der Spiegel, the measure is foreseen in a bill that the Commission intends to close today.

If the initiative goes through, an automatic mechanism should come into force if there are "bottlenecks in the supply of critical defense equipment that could affect the security of the EU". Armaments companies would therefore have to fulfill the orders of member countries, postponing or canceling those received from non-EU states.

To activate the mechanism, it should be sufficient for a Member State intending to supply ammunition to Ukraine to request the intervention of the European Commission. At the same time, the request could come from at least three member countries that want to procure bullets jointly.

Arms manufacturers should not fear appeals from the third countries concerned, because the intervention of the European Commission would be considered as "force majeure" on a legal level, i.e. as a war requirement.

The Commission, among other things, would not act alone but in coordination with the EU states where the arms companies are based. For the proposal to enter into force, the approval of the member countries and the European Parliament will be required.

The proposal was drawn up under the responsibility of the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services Thierry Breton and follows the decision of the European Council with which the EU undertook to supply Ukraine with one million artillery shells within 12 months.