On Thursday 12 September, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) will publish a review paper looking at
the EU defence cooperation and policy.
ABOUT THE AUDIT
New defence-related initiatives, including plans for a rise in the budget, have recently been launched at EU level. This has placed defence clearly on the ECA's radar, as the increase in funding associated with new EU ambitions entails performance risks.
The paper gives an overview of the legal, institutional and financial framework associated with EU defence policy. It also presents EU defence from both a capability and an industrial point of view, as well as some of the recent initiatives taken at EU level.
The auditors will highlight challenges and point out the main risks involved in the latest EU ambitions and initiatives.
ABOUT THE TOPIC
Building on the new level of ambition in terms of defence, several initiatives and mechanisms have been developed at EU level. These include the Permanent structured cooperation (PESCO), the Coordinated annual review of defence (CARD) and the European Defence Fund. In addition, the European Commission has proposed to increase the budget allocated to defence and external security for 2021-2027.
The ECA's reviews present and analyse the facts relating to a specific issue, on the basis of publicly available information. They are not audit reports. Reviews aim to contribute to strategic reflection, thereby providing an input for co-legislators and increasing awareness among the public and other stakeholders. It also allows the ECA to acquire knowledge and develop internal skills with a view to future audit work in specific areas.