EU green legislation 'forms a direct obstacle to the armed forces'

In a letter to European Union Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, 11 member ministers of the bloc asserted that the EU’s green regulations undermine joint defense capabilities.

“EU legislation should not prevent member states’ armed forces from carrying out the necessary activities to achieve operational readiness. However, at present, it does,” they wrote in a letter obtained by the UK media The Telegraph.

Specifically, they criticized regulations on “nature conservation and environmental protection,” along with rules on public procurement and the “administrative burden” imposed by various EU legal acts.

According to the newspaper, the letter was signed by the top defense officials of the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Finland, Estonia, and Denmark.

“At the moment, some EU legislation poses a direct obstacle to the armed forces,” they also argued. “Credible deterrence in practice means expanding the armed forces, which requires space for training — including flying, navigating, and driving — as well as building appropriate facilities.”

Additionally, they urged that any new European regulations be evaluated based on their potential impact on the bloc’s rearmament efforts.

Europe, "called to take greater charge of its own defense"

Just days earlier, Kubilius urged European leaders to boost military spending, warning of the threat posed by Russia’s neighbor and criticizing what he described as a U.S. retreat from Europe, which has shifted focus toward the Chinese threat.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a plan to strengthen the European Union’s defense capabilities. "The time for illusions is over. Now, Europe is called to take greater charge of its own defense, not in some distant future, but already today," she argued in defense of the plan.