MEPs approve plans to increase ammunition production for Ukraine

This is reported by the European Parliament's press service.

It is about the approval of the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), which aims to accelerate the supply of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine and help member states replenish their arsenals.

The ASAP aims to increase EU production capacity to address the current shortage of defense products, in particular artillery ammunition, missiles and their components, by implementing targeted measures that include EUR 500 million in funding.

Earlier, during negotiations with the EU Council, MEPs ensured that more diverse projects received funding and that small and medium-sized enterprises were eligible for higher levels of financial support.

MEPs also insisted that EU countries would provide Ukraine with ammunition financed under this legislation without export restrictions.

The draft law was approved by 505 votes to 56, with 21 abstentions. The document must now be approved by the EU Council for it to enter into force.

ASAP is part of the EU's plan to provide Ukraine with one million pieces of artillery ammunition over 12 months, proposed in March 2023.

The ASAP is a response to Ukraine's request to the EU for 155 mm artillery shells and the Council's agreement of March 20, 2023, to propose three tracks for the supply of ammunition. Member states were asked to urgently transfer ammunition to Ukraine from their own stockpiles (Track 1). The EU countries agreed to jointly purchase one million rounds of ammunition (Track 2). Track 3 is aimed at increasing the production capacity of the European defense industry. This is to be achieved through ASAP, which directly responds to the Council's call for urgent delivery of ammunition to Ukraine, as well as to help member states replenish their stockpiles.

• On April 13, the EU Council approved a EUR 1 billion support measure for joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine.

• On May 2, the EU prepared a plan to produce 1 million shells for Ukraine and its own stockpile.

• On May 23, EU top diplomat Josep Borrell said that since the beginning of the year, EU states have already delivered more than one-fifth of the one million artillery rounds and missiles to Ukraine as part of an initiative to provide Ukraine with one million artillery rounds.

• On June 1, the European Parliament supported a bill to increase European production of ammunition and missiles to support Ukraine's army.

• On July 7, the Council of the European Union and the Parliament agreed on a draft regulation on the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), which will increase the production of missiles and munitions.