A group of 11 European Union defense ministers is raising the red flag on Brussels’ bureaucratic hurdles, warning that the EU’s own rules are holding back military readiness. In a joint letter to the European Commission, the ministers called for sweeping reforms — and fast.
According to Euractiv, which obtained the letter, the officials urged Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius to slash through cumbersome procurement and environmental regulations that are currently tying the hands of EU armed forces. With the Commission preparing a new defense “simplification package” for June, the ministers made it clear: the status quo is no longer sustainable.
Their message? Current red tape isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s an outright obstacle to the bloc’s operational capability.
At the heart of the upcoming package is the so-called “omnibus” reform — a central piece of the Commission’s broader plan to ramp up European defense production. Earlier this month, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Kubilius met with defense industry leaders to fine-tune the strategy.
Industry voices have long pressed for looser environmental rules to unlock more private-sector funding for defense projects. In response, the Commission has hinted at revisiting the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria — a key investment framework — to better align with Europe’s defense needs.
But the defense ministers argue that the reforms must go deeper. The letter calls for a mandatory “readiness and defense check” on all new EU legislation, ensuring that no future laws undercut Europe’s military preparedness.
With tensions running high across the continent and geopolitical threats on the rise, the ministers’ blunt warning adds fresh urgency to Brussels’ defense debate. Whether the Commission will move swiftly enough remains to be seen.
