On 17 June 2025, the European Commission (EC) presented in Strasbourg and Brussels a set of measures to accelerate investment and production in the defence sector to enable the European Union to better respond to today's security challenges. The proposals include simplifying the authorisation process for defence projects and adapting chemical regulations to the needs of the defence industry.

According to the contribution of the Finnish representation of the European Commission at Platform X, the EC is focused on accelerating investment and production processes in the defence sector. A key element is the introduction of a fast-track authorisation regime for defence projects to reduce administrative burdens and support the development of technologies such as unmanned systems, cyber defence or advanced sensors.

The move follows the European Defence Fund (EDF), which, according to the EU Council website, has a budget of €7.3 billion for defence research and development for the period 2021-2027. In the last EDF call, 62 projects were selected with a budget of €910 million, with 27 % funds going to SMEs.

The EC stresses that the EDF supports interoperability with NATO and the integration of countries such as Ukraine into the European defence base. The new measures are designed to ensure faster implementation of these projects, which is crucial in the face of growing threats such as cyber-attacks or hybrid conflicts.

Another important part of the proposal is the harmonisation of chemical regulations with the requirements of the defence industry. According to its official website, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), based in Helsinki, plays a key role in administering the REACH regulation, which regulates the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals.

ECHA promotes the safe use of chemicals and innovation by replacing hazardous substances with safer alternatives. However, the EC proposal introduces greater flexibility in these regulations so as not to hinder the development of defence-relevant technologies that may require specific chemicals.

According to the european-union.europa.eu website, ECHA is working with the EC to identify hazardous substances and phase them out as part of the EU's Green Deal Strategy for Sustainable Chemicals. The new measures could allow exemptions for defence projects where chemicals are essential for security purposes and there are no alternatives.

The Euractiv portal highlights the potential problems associated with the relaxation of chemical regulations. Although the EU strategy aims to eliminate toxic substances from consumer goods, exemptions for the defence sector could increase the use of harmful chemicals in certain applications, raising concerns from environmental organisations. For example, some NGOs warn of environmental and health impacts.

Moreover, political tensions in the EU may complicate the implementation of these measures. According to a Reuters report, some member states, such as Hungary, are questioning the EC's ambitious plans, for example in relation to energy independence from Russia. Similar opposition could make it more difficult to enforce the new defence measures.

gnews.cz - GH