EU council, parliament agree to expand ammo production
The council of the European Union has reached a provisional agreement with the European parliament on an act that will boost ammunition production both for EU member states and Ukraine.
The Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) provides for mobilising EUR 500 million from the EU budget to support the ramp-up of the manufacturing capacities for the production of ground-to-ground and artillery ammunition as well as missiles.
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"In doing so, it will implement the third track of the plan agreed by the Council in March 2023 to secure the long-term increase in European ammunition production to the benefit of Ukraine and EU member states," the EU council said in a statement.
The agreed rules will introduce an instrument through which the EU will financially support the reinforcement of the EU industrial production capacities for ammunition and missiles throughout the supply and value chains.
Such financial support will be provided in the form of grants to various types of actions contributing to the efforts of the European defence industry.
The provisional agreement must now be endorsed by both the EU council and the Parliament, and then be formally adopted by both institutions following legal-linguistic revision.
It is expected to enter into force by the end of July.
In March, the EU agreed on a plan to purchase ammunition for Ukraine for EUR 2 billion, with the aim of providing a million artillery rounds. It was finalised in May, when the member states settled a dispute regarding the joint procurement of ammo.