EU reveals why it was of little use in Afghanistan – members spent too little on defence

The UK is spending TWO-THIRDS MORE of its GDP on defence than the EU average

Montage © Facts4EU.Org

Facts4EU.Org analysis of Friday’s EU defence numbers show how reliant EU has been on UK

The EU countries’ latest defence spending figures were published by Brussels on Friday – and they do not look good for the EU and its military ambitions.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

The EU reveals its shortfalls in defence spending

1. EU defence spending in 2019 as % of GDP

EU27 average: 1.2%
United Kingdom: 2.0% - two-thirds more than the EU average
EU's largest economy (Germany): 1.1%

2. In pure money terms, the UK was by far the EU’s biggest spender on defence in 2019

The United Kingdom spent €46.9 bn on defence, according to the EU. This was:-
31% more than France
43% more than Germany
More than double Italy’s spending
Four times that of the Netherlands and Spain

Is it any wonder that the UK provided more military power in Afghanistan than any other EU country?

Military power comes at a cost. The United Kingdom’s contribution to allied forces in Afghanistan was significant. This could not have been achieved without the UK committing more of its GDP to defence than any other EU country over the last 20 years.

The cost to the United Kingdom should not only be counted in money terms. As Facts4EU.Org revealed on Wednesday the UK suffered 53% of all military fatalities by member states of the EU in Afghanistan over the last 20 years.

Where do Friday’s EU defence spending figures leave its ambitions to be a global military power?

In the last 10 years alone, according to the latest EU figures for 2010-2019, military spending amongst the EU27 as a proportion of GDP has actually fallen.

Coat of arms,
EU Military Staff

EU27 in 2010: 1.3% of total GDP
EU27 in 2019: 1.2% of total GDP

[Note: These figures exclude the UK, which was a member for all this period.]

In a future article Facts4EU.Org hopes to look at the EU’s military ambitions in more detail, in terms of how these affect the United Kingdom and the defence of the Realm. If you would like to see this, please help us to fund this research.

Observations

Biden or the EU Commission – which is worse?

The Facts4EU.Org team shares the views of many readers concerning the handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan by the current US administration of President Biden. Some of the news that has been coming out in recent days almost defies belief.

That said, our report above is not about that. Our analysis of the EU’s latest figures released on Friday shows unequivocally that whilst the US Commander-in-Chief seems chiefly not to be in command of the situation, at least he has military forces at his disposal whilst most EU countries do not.

Photo right: US President's press conference on Friday.

Had Afghanistan been left to the EU Commission, we hate to think how much worse things could have been.

How the EU works

Facts4EU.Org has remarked on a regular basis how the less favourable reports from Brussels are often released on a Friday afternoon, when many journalists have departed for the weekend. Yet again this has happened (on 27 Aug 2021) with the EU’s report on how little its member countries have been spending on defence.

The report was issued by the EU’s official statistics agency and not a word has been uttered by the normally loquacious and self-promoting EU Commission.

Facts4EU.Org is pleased to put the EU’s omission right, by publishing the above summary for our readers.

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[ Sources: EU Commission ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sun 29 Aug 2021

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Reader Comments 10

1. Jay Sparrow , Sunday, August 29, 2021, 06:38:

OT, but anyone who would like Parliament to be recalled to debate the proposed vaccination of children, where 'a full explanation of the reasons for the change in the JCVI's advice can be provided', should add their signature to the petition: 'Recall Parliament to debate vaccination of children before this is rolled out.'
https://petition.parliament...
23,649 signatures so far. There need to be at least 100,000 for the Speaker to consider this being debated.
Incidentally, any parents reading Facts4EU who are concerned that their child of 12 - 16 could be injected at school with this drug without their consent may like to send the following template letter to the Head teacher of their school:
https://www.ukmedfreedom.org

2. Not4EU, Prisoner 56743891 N. Sea Gulag 666, London , Sunday, August 29, 2021, 07:17:

Another little factoid that I was surprised to read as this disaster was unfolding was that the EU had 260 'representatives' in Afghanistan. It did not appear to relate to any military presence of any of its member countries so it raised the question of why, quite apart from the cost that the member countries (& no doubt also funnelled by the UK Govt) are funding? I wonder if they contributed to the protection afforded by UK & US military (rhetorical question)? I guess these money-laundering scams won't operate themselves.

3. The Facts4EU.Org team , Sunday, August 29, 2021, 07:34:

@ Not4EU (comment 2)
Indeed. The EU has been busy establishing 'quasi-embassies' around the world, as if it were already a country. It has done this despite its individual member countries having their own official embassies in those foreign countries.
We have research on this, but like so many things our resources are too depleted to report on everything we would like to, and have not had the time to complete the research and write what we think would be a shocking report.

4. Jon Phillips , Sunday, August 29, 2021, 10:33:

The EU can't defend its own borders, let alone defend anyone else, they are a huge joke.

5. Maria Langley , Sunday, August 29, 2021, 10:36:

There is no point in the EU having an army. It would be too late by the time they got all member states to agree on what to do.

6. kb , Sunday, August 29, 2021, 11:38:

As I've said before, this is more of a comment on the poor value for money we get compared to other countries.
Somehow France manages to have roughly 25% more armed-forces resources than we do, for less spend.
I believe more people work at MoD Procurement than there are in the actual army.
The 2% spend is surely just virtue signalling like the foreign aid budget.

7. David Mark , Sunday, August 29, 2021, 13:26:

The UK can't defend its own aircraft carriers. UK has to rely on France, who incidentally have a larger military and larger budget than the UK in real terms and in GDP. Afghanistan was US led with UK hanging onto their coat tails...as always. Good job really as US had to rescue UK is Helmond and in Basra, Iraq.. I would guess the EU GDP figure is reduced because Germany, its biggest economy is still restricted on military spending.

8. Have You Wondered , Monday, August 30, 2021, 16:13:

EU Stars Episode 15. How’s the EU going to finance an Army?
Meanwhile, back at the Kremlimont in Brussels another secret undocumented meeting with the Politburo and Mr Joao Gomes Cravinho, speaking ahead of a meeting of EU Defence ministers in Slovenia on Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd October.
“Ach so! JoGo, tell us just how’s the EU going to finance an Army?” asks ‘Dokumente Verloren ’ VDL at the head of the table.
JoGo Cravinho replies “ Simples! They only want 2% …. what’s that? Speak up”
“Oh – only 3 EU nations pay 2% or over to NATO - oh dear – yes -right – er ..”
“OK - Segundo - we print the money aka Quantative Easing – oh -didn’t know that – yes right – er ..what do you mean they stopped but reinvesting the proceeds?”
The Politiburo at this point start to examine their odd tasting Processed Animal Product (PAP) meat sandwiches.
JoGo continues “ Here’s a good one, I propose we put the finance on top of the Target2 €1.7tn Credit card debt…Eh! Who’s Prof. David Blake and Nickolai Hubble – oh – probable Bailiffs – Wow!
“Let’s try a grab back of the Recovery Fund dosh back again…eh -want to keep them vassal states – ok maybe not.”
“We could get dirty and put a convicted crook in to lead the bank and fiddle the books to buy the goods – oh – could be ‘iffy’ - have I met her?”
“Ei ! VDL - we get someone to issue some dodgy defence contracts to get the weapons. What's that? Who who lost the data on two phones and ordered some broomsticks? Ooops – er .. sorry- didn’t mean to bring that up.”
“Meu Deus ! What’s left – I don’t know. Ask the mafia to help? – what!
What trial in Messina…..?.”
“I give up! Now what do we do ? I’m firing blanks here?

9. AuntieEU , Tuesday, August 31, 2021, 09:46:

Rather misleading. None of the Armies were of any use. EU did the sensible thing and kept it to a minimum.

10. Kevin Hagger , Tuesday, August 31, 2021, 14:38:

Strange why does a trading block need an army oh yer I forgot its not a trading block its a dictatorship

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