European Peace Facility

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The European Peace Facility (EPF) is an off-budget European Union financing instrument set up in March 2021 under the leadership of HRVP Josep Borrell, which aims towards the delivery of military aid to partner countries and funds the deployment of EU military missions abroad under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). [1] [2] It was allocated with an initial ceiling of 5,000 million € for the 2021–2027 cycle. [3]

Contents

In March 2024 it was replenished by another €5 billion tranche, [4] [5] dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund within the EPF. [6] A compromise seemed to have been found that would allow the fund to finance a Czech initiative to purchase ammunition from countries outside the EU. [7] As of March 2024, €11.1 billion of EPF funding has been committed for military support to Ukraine. [8]

History

The EPF was first used to support the African Union (130 million €; July 2021), Mozambique (10 million €; November 2021) and Bosnia Herzegovina (40 million €; November 2021). [9]

In February 2022, in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU first employed the EPF—breaking a long-standing taboo—to provide weapons to a third country (Ukraine), earmarking a starting tranche of around 500 million €, [10] successively increased to 1,000 million, 1,500 million and, tentatively, a pledge was agreed in May 2022 to reach 2,000 million with a fourth tranche. [11]

On 20 March 2023, Politico characterized the EPF as "formerly an obscure program that has become the EU’s main wartime vehicle to partially reimburse countries for their weapons donations to Ukraine." On this date a deal was made to supply 1 million rounds of 155 mm caliber ammunition to Ukraine "within the next 12 months". [12]

On 13 April, Borrell said that the Council of Europe (EuCo) agreed on a €1 billion increase in the EPF "to reimburse member states for ammunition donated to Ukraine from existing stocks or from the reprioritisation of existing orders during the period 9 February to 31 May 2023." To that date, the total EU contribution for Ukraine under the EPF was thus brought to €4.6 billion. [13]

On 5 May 2023, Borrell said that the EuCo agreed to "finance the provision to the Ukrainian Armed Forces of 155mm-calibre artillery rounds and, if requested, missiles which will be jointly procured by EU member states from the European defence industry." This agreement brought the total Ukraine military support under the EPF to €5.6 billion. The press release said that "The supply chains of these operators may include operators established or having their production outside of the EU or Norway. The measure will also cover deliveries of ammunition and missiles which have undergone an important stage of their manufacturing in the EU or Norway which consists of final assembly." [14] [15]

As of 19 July 2023, 5.6 billion had been allocated for Ukraine under the EPF, and a proposal aims to increase the ceiling to 20 billion for four years. [16]

On 31 January 2024, Borrell disclosed that the European Union would fail to fulfil its pledge to Ukraine, to deliver 1 million 155mm shells by 20 March 2024. [17]

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References

  1. ↑ "European Peace Facility". Council of the European Union. Secretariat. 13 February 2024.
  2. ↑ Brzozowski, Alexandra; Almeida, Tiago (23 March 2021). "EU adopts €5billion fund to train and equip foreign military forces" . euractiv . Archived from the original on May 26, 2023.
  3. ↑ Baume, Maïa de la; Barigazzi, Jacopo (27 February 2022). "EU agrees to give €500M in arms, aid to Ukrainian military in 'watershed' move". Politico Europe . Archived from the original on Jan 9, 2024.
  4. ↑ "EU agrees $5.5bn boost for military aid to Ukraine".
  5. ↑ "EU Council Approves New Aid Fund for Ukraine with $5.4 Billion". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty.
  6. ↑ https://www.consilium.europa.eu/fr/press/press-releases/2024/03/18/ukraine-assistance-fund-council-allocates-5-billion-under-the-european-peace-facility-to-support-ukraine-militarily/.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ↑ https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-agrees-5-bln-euro-boost-ukraine-military-aid-fund-2024-03-13/.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ Mills, Claire (27 March 2024). "Military assistance to Ukraine since the Russian invasion" (PDF). House of Commons Library. UK Parliament. pp. 7, 57–60. CBP-9477. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  9. ↑ "European Peace Facility: Council adopts assistance measures for Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and the Republic of Mali". EU monitor. 2 December 2021. Archived from the original on Sep 29, 2022.
  10. ↑ Brzozowski, Alexandra (11 March 2022). "With war at its doorstep, EU agrees to move on defence". euractiv . Archived from the original on Nov 5, 2023.
  11. ↑ Von Der Burchard, Hans (13 May 2022). "EU to increase military support funding for Ukraine to €2 billion". Politico . Archived from the original on Jan 7, 2024.
  12. ↑ BARIGAZZI, JACOPO (20 March 2023). "EU seals deal to send Ukraine 1M ammo rounds". POLITICO.
  13. ↑ "Ammunition for Ukraine: Council agrees €1 billion support under the European Peace Facility". Council of the European Union. 13 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "EU joint procurement of ammunition and missiles for Ukraine: Council agrees €1 billion support under the European Peace Facility". Council of the European Union. 5 May 2023.
  15. ↑ "COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2023/927". Official Journal of the European Union. 5 May 2023.
  16. ↑ Brzozowski, Alexandra (2023-07-19). "EU member states to explore €20 billion war fund option for Ukraine". Euractiv. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  17. ↑ Brzozowski, Alexandra (31 January 2024). "EU months late on one million ammunition target for Ukraine". EURACTIV.
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