Laetitia Sedou.

MEPs concerned with peace should worry about the new ‘Defence Industry & Space’ unit

At Commissioner-designate Syvie Goulard’s hearing on Wednesday, MEPs should question the over-influence of the arms industry and the impact of the new DG for “Defence Industry & Space” on peace, says Laëtitia Sédou.

Military industry fund could encourage development and export of controversial weaponry

The EU is about to agree a shared military industry fund which will give billions to arms companies and exacerbate the global arms race. Presented as a key step to strengthen the EU, instead, it enshrines renewed prevalence of national interests in a hard-security context, writes Laëtitia Sédou.

EU defence policy ready for psychiatric treatment

Calls for a more militarised Europe have grown and grown, while the EU Council recently concluded that “Europe must commit additional resources” to defence. But increasing military expenditure is not the way forward, warn Bram Vranken and Laëtitia Sédou.

EU should give more funds to peace, not subsidise the arms industry

Subsidising the arms industry is not the way the once-peace EU project will improve its popularity with eurosceptic citizens. Especially not when it is done on advice from the industry lobby. Instead, the EU should invest in jobs and research projects which contribute to the prevention of conflicts, says the Laetitia Sedou.