The European Union reached an agreement on Thursday after long negotiations to create and implement defense industry assistance program in Europethe European Council announced.

With initial capital 1.5 billion euros in the form of donations, this program, which was baptized Oedipus, is expected to favor the launch of joint plans in defense during the period 2025-2027, he said in a statement.

“This agreement is a major step for the security of the European continent and the development of our defense industry”said the French MEP with satisfaction Xavier Bellamy (LR/Christian Democrats), co-rapporteur of the European Parliament project. “Europe must finally be able to defend itself, and EDIP was set up for this very reason”added on his part his other co-presenter, o Raphael Glixman (PS/socialists & democrats).

The agreement is the fruit of painstaking negotiations that have long stumbled over the issue of preference for European military industries. Some member states took sides in favor of greater flexibilityso that this program will also finance purchases of equipment from non-EU industries, in particular US manufacturers.

Finally, the compromise found it limits the cost of ingredients and items manufactured outside the EU or in partner countries, such as Norway, to 35% of the total cost of the investments sought.

“EDIP will reverse the logic of imports that dominated Europe to strongly support the strengthening of our industrial base,” judged Mr. Bellamy.

Currently, 60% of arms and ammunition purchases are made by non-EU companies, mainly US industries. Brussels wants this dependence to be reduced to 45%.

Ukraine will also join the plan, it will benefit with funds amounting to 300 million euros. The European Parliament, which wanted more funding for EDIP, said it had secured the financial contribution of third countries that will also participate in the program – Britain, Canada –, so the increasing the initial budget.

EDIP lays the foundation for the first time in legal framework which will facilitate EU defense investments and purchases together. Until today, this file was the responsibility of the Member States alone.

It joins a series of EU initiatives to rearm, as well as help Ukraine defend itself, in the face of what it sees as a threat from Russia.

Also yesterday, the European Union also presented the hard lines “roadmap” to strengthen Europe’s defense by 2030.