EU approves first ever Joint Arms Purchase, Ukraine set to benefit

The European Commission shared the information in a press release on 14 November.

The total funding for the five projects under the European Defense Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement instrument (EDIRPA) amounts to €300 million. These initiatives are part of Brussels' broader plan to procure over €11 billion in defense equipment for the armed forces of EU member states.

Two projects focus on enhancing the EU's joint air and missile defense capabilities. Nine member states—France, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Spain, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, and Denmark—will acquire Mistral very short-range air defense systems. Meanwhile, six NATO member states—Germany, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Austria, Estonia, and Latvia—will jointly procure IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defense systems.

Additionally, EDIRPA will support the procurement of armored vehicles for Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Germany. Two separate projects will focus on acquiring 155 mm artillery ammunition. The first will involve the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Denmark, and Croatia, while the second will include Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Estonia.

“Most selected projects also include procurement of defense products intended for Ukraine, including air and missile defense systems and ammunition, bolstering the country's defense capabilities in the context of the ongoing Russian aggression,” the European Commission said in a press release.