During the meeting of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) in the EP in Brussels, MEPs vote on establishing the European Defence Industrial Development Programme aiming at supporting the competitiveness and innovative capacity of the EU defence industry. Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL) announces the final votes. The results are: 49 in favour, 12 against and 2 abstentions. Statement by Françoise GROSSETÊTE (EPP, FR), Rapporteur.

Brussels

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

statement

meeting

common security and defence policy (T)

vote

GROSSETÊTE, Françoise (EPP, FR)

Establishing the European Defence Industrial Development Programme aiming at supporting the competitiveness and innovative capacity of the EU defence industry: extracts from the vote and statement by Françoise GROSSETÊTE (EPP, FR), rapporteur

Atmosphere in the meeting room before vote (1 shot)

ITRE Chair Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL) opening the vote on the report by Fran&ccedil;oise GROSSET&Ecirc;TE (EPP,FR),  on Establishing the European Defence Industrial Development Programme aiming at supporting the competitiveness and innovative capacity of the EU defence industry (5 shots)

<p>ITRE Chair Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL) announces the final votes. The draft report was adopted by 49 votes in favour, 12 against and 2 abstentions.  The vote to enter into inter-institutional negotiations were also adopted by 47 in favour, 14 against and 0 abstentions (6 shots).</p>

SOUNDBITE (French), Fran&#231;oise GROSSET&#202;TE (EPP, FR), Rapporteur, <p>Since Brexit and then the comments by the President of the US Donald TRUMP saying that the EU has to assume its responsibility in the domain of security and defence, all that has allowed us to say that it is important to take the step towards a Europe of defence. And this is the industrial component of the European Defense Fund that will allow to support the innovation and competitiveness of the arms industry. You know that today there is in the EU 17 different types of military tanks, I don't know how many different types of fighter jets, and I could give more examples, and all this is very incoherent. On the contrary it is important to pool the efforts that are made in the arms industry, simply be the EU has committed itself to the citizens, saying that it has to ensure and wants to ensure its protection, when it comes to terrorism and and cyber attacks, it is easy to understand that it is important that the EU will be capable of assuming that responsibility.</p>

SOUNDBITE (French), Fran&ccedil;oise GROSSET&Ecirc;TE (EPP, FR), Rapporteur, The budget foreseen for 2019-2020 is 500 million euro. 500 million euro on top of which there will be the contributions of the Member States that can participate with up to 80% in these projects, which means that in total we will have 2,5 billion euro for 2019-2020. And we hope that 2019-2020 will allow us to understand that it has provided some good opportunities, that we will have put in motion that fund and that it will be necessary to continue to develop it in the future.