We are in unique times. As Mark Rutte stated: “We are not at war. But we are certainly not at peace, either”.

The risk of a large-scale conventional attack in Europe has re-entered our strategic considerations for the first time in a generation.

Our current defence and deterrence readiness is inadequate; we lag behind what is necessary for NATOs defence plans.

We must shift our thinking from two categories—peace or war—to recognize that we need defence readiness to deter aggression and prevent conflict when peace can no longer be guaranteed. Defence readiness requires different regulations than those for peacetime.

When intelligence warns of possible aggression, prioritizing our readiness to defend peace is essential.

We urgently need to prepare our European Union for defence, ensuring we are fit for self-defence and readiness.

This is why we adopted the Joint White Paper on European Defence Readiness 2030, committing to mobilizing €800 billion in additional defence investments over the next four years.

However, funding alone is insufficient if traditional bureaucracy hinders industrial efforts to increase production.

We now need enabling regulations that provide industry, armed forces, and investors with speed, predictability, and scale.

This Omnibus serves as a legal framework adapting peacetime legislation to current geopolitical demands for defence readiness, clarifying the interpretation of existing laws.

Built on evidence and dialogue, the Omnibus reflects over 200 detailed submissions from public consultations.

In summary, the process has been swift yet inclusive.

This has resulted in an ambitious, evidence-driven Defence Readiness Omnibus.

The package includes seven acts, including the Communication on Defence Readiness Omnibus, framing defence readiness as a public good.

We are adjusting these acts to better support defence readiness.

What does the package include?

What feedback did we receive during our consultations?

Most importantly - Fast-track permitting. Lengthy national permitting processes are the top complaint from both armed forces and suppliers.

Without detailing each of the seven acts approved today, I will highlight the five key aspects of our proposals:

1. On Permits

• Single point of contact for defence industry in each Member State.
• 60-day response time, with silence indicating approval.
• Priority handling of related legal challenges.

This regulation mirrors the “Net-Zero Industry Act” model.

The objective is clear: no critical project should be delayed for years due to regulatory uncertainties. Each project will receive a decision within 60 days.

2. On Finance

• No more disputes over ESG criteria: defence aligns with sustainability criteria, like any other sector.
• Clear definitions of ‘prohibited’ weapons will eliminate confusion over what is considered controversial under ESG.
• InvestEU will welcome viable defence projects while maintaining necessary safeguards.

We aim to unlock capital for security and peace; financing defence can no longer be viewed as controversial.

3. On Environment

• Clarity and legal certainty in environmental regulations. We affirm that ‘public safety, overriding public interest, and crises encompass defence readiness.
• We want our chemical legislation to account for defence, as it relies on chemicals for explosives and ammunition. We aim to simplify the use of exemptions for defence.
• Not just on a case-by-case basis, but also for the defence industry generally.

4. On Economic Conditions

• We want our Competition rules to support defence readiness. We will provide clear guidance on mergers and state aid in the defence sector.
• We will consult with governments and social partners on whether it’s necessary to amend the Working Time Directive for military personnel to support defence readiness.

5. On EU Defence-Specific Instruments: concerning the European Defence Fund, procurement directives, and Intra-EU Defence Transfers.

We aim to simplify and make defence-related regulations more flexible, ready for innovation and learning from Ukraines experiences. We want to reduce paperwork and reporting; increasing thresholds for EU procurement rules will free up resources for larger procurements.

With new innovation procurement, we will harness the potential of start-ups, SMEs, and mid-caps, ensuring procurement supports disruptive innovations while creating a European supply chain aligned with single market principles, simplifying and speeding up licensing for the transfer of defence products within the Union.

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Our package demonstrates that speed does not compromise accountability.

Deadlines will be tight, but our standards remain high.

Let us collectively prove that Pax Europaea is not merely our legacy but also our shared responsibility today.

Our defence readiness is a collective responsibility alongside the Council and Parliament. We hope institutions will discuss and approve this Omnibus with the same urgency with which we prepared it.