The EU member states have agreed on a new regulatory package aimed at reducing bureaucratic obstacles for the defence industry. The negotiations have been led by Denmark as part of the Danish EU presidency.

According to the Danish Ministry of Defence, the so-called simplification package aims to accelerate Europe's military build-up and strengthen the competitiveness of the European defence industry. The proposal will now be further negotiated with the European Parliament.

– EU legislation is largely designed in peacetime. Therefore, we need better frameworks to support a higher pace in Europe's build-up, says Denmark's Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen.

The proposal includes, among other things, simplified rules for cross-border transfer and procurement of defence materiel, smoother access to financing through the European Defence Fund, and centralised processes for the authorisation of defence projects within the EU.