Defense News reports that European authorities have proposed a “temporary emergency measure” requiring explosives manufacturers to supply their products primarily to companies producing ammunition for Ukraine.
The site quotes a European Commission official as saying that one of the initiatives under the plan is for the European Union to play the role of an arbiter and mediator in the industry, which can ask explosives dealers to prioritize supplies to ammunition companies that are short of raw materials.
He added that the temporary “emergency measure” is currently in the process of approval in the European Union.
The source also acknowledged that this initiative caused dissatisfaction with a number of EU members and individual companies, who fear the transfer of too much power to the EU as a regulator of the ammunition market. He believes that this plan will create conditions for the violation of trade secrets or the disclosure of confidential information.
At the same time, the source indicated that these fears were groundless, explaining that “the commission has a long experience in using this information in the context of other procedures and has the necessary guarantees.”
And the European Commission announced at the beginning of last May that it would allocate 1.5 billion euros for the production of ammunition for Ukraine. Brussels also plans to spend 500 million euros to expand the production of ammunition in Europe.
Source: News
