Germany aims to accelerate armament efforts with new bill

BERLIN

The German government is preparing a bill to speed up arms procurement amid an intensified arms race in Europe fueled by the Russia-Ukraine war, local media reported on Tuesday.

The legislation proposes easing EU tender requirements related to environmental standards for arms purchases and military construction projects.

Under the bill, new arms contracts would be exempt from tendering requirements until 2030. In addition, legal complaints against tender decisions would not delay implementation, and domestic production of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment would be prioritized.

The bill is intended to remain in effect for 10 years and is expected to be put to a vote in July.

The war in Ukraine prompted Germany to make a historic shift in its military policy. After the war began, then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged that Germany would meet NATO’s defense spending target of 2% of its gross domestic product.

Scholz also announced a special €100 billion ($115.5 billion) fund to modernize the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces.

In March, parliament approved the creation of a €500 billion special fund for infrastructure and climate initiatives and voted to exclude future defense spending from the country’s constitutional “debt brake,” which is Germany’s balanced budget amendment.