European Parliament: divert Green Deal funds to defense; Kubilius: ‘Mutually dependent’ issues

Brussels – Scaling back the Green Deal and sustainability policies to give more support to defence is more than an idea; it is a proposal. A “coalition” of MEPs comprising 13 conservative MEPs (ECR), three popular MEPs (EPP), one liberal MEP (RE), and 1 Green MEP has put forward the proposal. Together, they call for diverting resources away from the green and digital transitions to finance Europe’s rearmament, citing security reasons and as a counter to Russia.

In the parliamentary question, they expressly ask whether the funds currently allocated within the European Green Deal or the climate transition initiatives “could be partially reallocated to strengthen Europe’s security and defence, given that, without security, the EU’s long-term strategic objectives cannot be achieved?” 

The Commission does not intend to go along with the request. Or rather, the Commissioner for Defence, Andrius Kubilius, provides a reply to the question, stating that the sustainability agenda is not in question, neither politically nor financially: “Security and climate objectives are mutually dependent, not mutually exclusive,” he points out. He then explains the correlation between the two: “Without security, long-term climate goals are unachievable. Without tackling climate change, extreme events and devastations are inevitable,” as the European Parliament itself recognized.

So, in a nutshell, hands off the Green Deal. The real issue lies in the political action, both European and national. “This is not an ‘either/or’ choice,” insists Kubilius. It is a question of “mobilising adequate resources for defence and using them efficiently is crucial.” Fundamentally, this principle is of “key importance.”