EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS

NEWSLETTER

IN THIS ISSUE

Military mobility – is the EU on the right track?

Can the EU effectively combat harmful tax practices?

Is the EU’s electricity grid up to task?

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Military mobility – is the EU on the right track?

For the first time, the EU has a budget for this area, consisting mainly of €1.69 billion for dual-use infrastructure.

The EU’s strategic need for military mobility has become ever more urgent in light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the issues encountered by armed forces in this area in the EU. Today, military mobility is one of the priority elements of the EU’s defence capabilities. Its goal is to ensure swift and seamless movement of military personnel, materials and assets within and beyond the EU – at short notice and on a large scale. For the first time, the EU has a budget for military mobility, consisting mainly of €1.69 billion for dual-use infrastructure. The first EU action plan on military mobility was published in 2018, followed by a second one in 2022. The auditors looked at whether Action Plan 2.0 had been built on solid foundations and was on track to reach its goals. (Read more)

COMING UP

Can the EU effectively combat harmful tax practices?

Multinational corporations are increasingly adept at using complex structures to reduce their tax bills.

The fight against harmful tax regimes and corporate tax avoidance has become a pressing issue worldwide on account of increased globalisation. These adverse practices are perpetuated by companies exploiting loopholes in tax rules in order to shift their profits to low-tax jurisdictions. This also occurs in the EU, where the negative effects can upset the fair balance between member states’ tax systems, and lead to distortions in the single market. The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has conducted a comprehensive audit to examine how the EU framework addresses these issues and will publish its report this month. (Read more)

ENERGY

Is the EU’s electricity grid up to task?

With the share of renewables in the EU expected to rise to 90 % in 2040, grid upgrades are now more urgent than ever.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine put Europe’s energy supply to the test, and we didn’t make the grade. Although this finally raised the alarm about energy security, pressure has been building behind the scenes for a long time. The EU – in the midst of its energy transition and moving away from Russian fossil fuels – must rely more and more on renewable energy sources. Progress on renewables is accelerating. However, generating clean energy is one thing; delivering it is quite another. (Read more)