Act in Support of Ammunition Production
The Act in Support of Ammunition Production was written as a piece of legislation of the European Parliament.{{cite news |url=https://csfederalismo.it/images/2023/Research-Paper/CSF-RP_EU-Defence-Union-ASAP_FFabbrini_Nov2023.pdf |date=November 2023 |first1=FEDERICO |last1=FABBRINI |title=EUROPEAN DEFENCE UNION ASAP: THE ACT IN SUPPORT OF AMMUNITION PRODUCTION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF EU DEFENCE CAPABILITIES IN RESPONSE TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE}}{{cite journal |doi=10.54648/eerr2024004 |title=European Defence Union ASAP: The Act in Support of Ammunition Production and the development of EU defence capabilities in response to the war in Ukraine |date=2024 |last1=Fabbrini |first1=Federico |journal=European Foreign Affairs Review |volume=29 |pages=67–84 }} The first tranche of €500 million was disbursed by March 2024.
History
The von der Leyen Commission felt as early as May 2023 that such an act was needed,{{cite news |url=https://www.eumonitor.eu/9353000/1/j9vvik7m1c3gyxp/vm2rg5682jxw?ctx=vg9phwrz4dzh | title=Questions and Answers on the Act in Support of Ammunition Production - EU monitor }} and in late May it was discussed by the Parliament.{{cite news |url=https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/video/adoption-of-the-act-in-support-of-ammunition-production-meps-debate_I240794 |title=Adoption of the Act in support of ammunition production: MEPs debate }} The legislation passed with a vote 446 yeas and 67 nays on 1 June 2023.{{cite news |url=https://www.pubaffairsbruxelles.eu/eu-institution-news/meps-endorse-plan-to-provide-more-ammunition-for-ukraine/ |title=MEPs endorse plan to provide more ammunition for Ukraine }}
On 18 October 2023, the first call for proposals was launched. It covered "explosives, powder, shells, missiles, and testing and re-conditioning of older ammunition such as Soviet-era dated ammunition."{{cite news |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/aleks-eu-launches-call-on-industry-to-apply-for-ammunition-production-ramp-up-funding/ |title=EU launches call on industry to apply for ammunition production ramp-up funding |first1=Aurélie |last1=Pugnet}}
The first tranche of €500 million was finalized by 15 March 2024.{{cite news |url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_1495 |title=Press corner }}{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-doles-out-e500m-for-artillery-ammo-and-missiles-as-it-seeks-to-match-russia/ |title=EU doles out €500M for artillery ammunition and missiles as it seeks to match Russia |date=15 March 2024 }} Grants were approved for 31 projects in 15 member countries.{{cite news |url=https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-defence-industry/asap-boosting-defence-production_en |title=Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) }}