The European Parliament on Thursday gave the green light to plans to boost European ammunition and missile production in order to remedy the current shortage and keep supplying Ukraine as it defends its territory.
The legislation was passed by 505 votes in favour, 56 against and 21 abstentions. It must also be approved by the Council to enter into force.
The Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) aims to speed up the delivery of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine and to help Member States replenish their arsenals. Its approval followed a fast-track procedure.
It allows €500 million (in current prices) to be mobilised urgently from the EU budget, in particular to support the supply of 155mm artillery cartridges and even missiles.
This is the third part of an emergency plan agreed by the EU heads of state and government last March.
In the first and second parts, Member States had first been asked to transfer ammunition from their own stocks to Ukraine as a matter of urgency and then to jointly procure one million rounds of ammunition.
