The European Parliament adopted a decision referring the matter back to the committee responsible for interinstitutional negotiations on the basis of the unamended proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the Act in Support of Ammunition Production.
The Commission proposal received 446 votes to 67 against and 112 abstentions. Members will now begin negotiations with the Council with a view to reaching a political agreement.
As a reminder, the Ammunition Production Support Action (ASAP) aims to speed up the delivery of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine and to help Member States replenish their stocks. By introducing targeted measures, including funding, the action aims to strengthen the EU's production capacity and address the current shortage of ammunition and missiles and their components. It will support the supply of ammunition from Member States' existing stocks and the joint procurement of ammunition.
The proposal for a new regulation includes:
- an instrument to financially support the reinforcement of EU industrial production capacities for the defence products concerned;
- a mechanism to map, monitor and better anticipate bottlenecks in supply chains;
- the introduction of a temporary regulatory framework to remedy the shortage of ammunition supplies.
The proposed financial envelope for implementing the regulation for the period from the date of its entry into force to 30 June 2025 is EUR 500 million in current prices.