REARM EUROPE:

Translated by Silvia Toro

On 23 April, the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) rejected the fast-track procedure proposed by the European Commission for the approval of the Council regulation establishing the Safe instrument, one of the economic foundations of Ursula Von Der Leyen's EU Rearm plan.

The proposal, strongly supported by Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, aimed to adopt the regulation not through the ordinary procedure, but through an emergency procedure provided for in Article 122 of the TFEU, bypassing the European Parliament.

The use of Article 122 TFEU, designed to respond to extraordinary emergency situations, was found to be inadequate for the matter in question.

Art. 122 TFEU

1. Without prejudice to any other procedure provided for in the Treaties, and in a spirit of solidarity between Member States, the Council may, on a proposal from the Commission, decide on measures appropriate to the economic situation, particularly where serious difficulties arise in the supply of certain products, especially in the energy sector.

2. If a Member State is experiencing difficulties or is at risk of serious difficulties due to natural disasters or exceptional circumstances beyond its control, the Council may grant the Member State concerned Union financial assistance under certain conditions, upon a proposal from the Commission. The President of the Council shall inform the European Parliament of the decision taken.

The Commission stated that the fast-track procedure proposed was inadequate both legally and politically. It is of fundamental importance to preserve the transparency and democratic role of the European Parliament and, consequently, of European citizens in decisions that directly affect the nature of the Union.

The issue of European rearmament raises profound questions about the future of the Union and its identity. The EU is still the Normative Power Europe, promoting values such as peace, multilateralism and cooperation, or is it increasingly taking on the profile of a traditional geopolitical actor?

The creation of the European Peace Facilitate in 2021 has already marked an important first step in this direction. For the first time, EU has set up an off-budget fund to finance supplies of lethal weapons to third countries. Once again, however, the European Parliament plays a minor role as an informed spectator, while the governance of these instruments remains firmly in the hands of the intergovernmental system, with the European Parliament playing a minor role and public involvement being minimal.

The risk is that the rearmament race will occur without adequate democratic guarantees. This is happening at a time when European citizens are increasingly concerned about the possible militarization of the Union.

Faced with an increasingly unstable international framework, and with the threat of US disengagement, the European Union must redefine its role. The debate between those who want a stronger and militarily autonomous Europe and those who fear the loss of their pacifist identity fills the streets.

The challenge will be to find a balance between the strengthening of defense capabilities and consequently its greater independence from other international actors and the maintenance of the Union's founding values, enshrined in art. 21 TEU.

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