Left MEPs have criticised today's European Parliament vote in favour of further EU militarization and increased investments in military research and equipment.

With today’s vote, negotiations can begin with the member states and the Commission on the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP).

“This proposal is a massive subsidy programme for European arms companies, which will further advance the militarisation of the EU” said MEP Sabine Lösing. “With today`s vote the Parliament has backed the EU military-industrial-complex. The pace with which the armament of the EU is taking shape is as alarming as the way this programme has been rushed through since Brexit. We reject the promotion of a deadly arms industry, whose legality is more than questionable,” she said.

The EDIDP means public money will be spent on rewarding the arms industry and weapons manufacturers.

“We are firmly against any attempt to take money from the EU budget and from EU programmes like Horizon 2020 to subsidise the defence sector and the Military Industrial Complex,” said Neoklis Sylikiotis MEP. “We demand public funds to support people’s needs. This proposal will have catastrophic consequences for the peoples. Our alternative proposal is to invest in peace and promote disarmament, the demobilisation of troops, the end of military interventions and the dissolution of NATO. At the same time, we underline the importance of public investment and the use of EU funds to enhance a comprehensive industrial strategy by accelerating the creation of new quality jobs for the benefit of society. We frame security and defence in terms of peace and social development.”