EU will propose more flexibility for defence procurement, commissioner says

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Commission will propose next week to give governments more flexibility on defence procurement and make access to European funding easier, European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said on Tuesday.

"Without this simplification, nothing else in defence readiness will be possible to achieve," Kubilius told a conference in Brussels. "Putin will not wait for us to get our paperwork in order," he added.

The European defence industry has raised concerns about EU red tape and delays in accessing funds.

The proposal, expected to be presented on June 17, will aim to address some of these complaints.

"We intend to give more flexibility to member states in common procurements, more flexibility on framework agreements, and we intend to facilitate innovation procurement," he said, adding that the Commission also wants to make access to the bloc's defence fund "easier".

The commissioner said it would also be important to look at other rules that impact defence, pointing to permits, reporting obligations, competition rules and sustainable finance.

Kubilius said the Commission will propose simplifying a directive on defence procurement and a directive on intra-EU transfers of defence products.

(Reporting by Lili Bayer, editing by Bart Meijer)

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