PARIS – The Netherlands wants to affix Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Co-Operation, because it seeks to be a driver of European defense cooperation and higher position its industry, the Dutch Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
Joining the group, known by its French acronym OCCAR, is a very important step towards stronger European defense cooperation and to properly position the Dutch defense industry, in accordance with the ministry. Each are “badly needed attributable to the war in Ukraine and the tightness within the defense market,’’ the ministry said.
OCCAR is a European organization that manages defense-equipment projects, with an operational budget of about €6 billion ($6.5 billion) and a portfolio of 17 projects including the A400M air lifter, the FREMM multi-mission frigate and the Eurodrone. The group was founded in 2001 by France, the U.K., Germany and Italy, with Spain and Belgium joining several years later.
“The Russian war in Ukraine and increasing threats and conflicts globally underscore the importance of a robust European industrial base,’’ the Dutch ministry said.
The federal government “wants the Netherlands to play a number one role in driving European defense cooperation,” the ministry said.”Membership in OCCAR matches inside that ambition.”
The Netherlands has boosted defense spending following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, with the budget for defense rising to €15 billion in 2023 from around €12 billion in 2022, and greater than €21 billion budgeted for 2024.
The countries in OCCAR work together to lower costs and increase efficiency in the event and acquisition of recent weapon systems, and joining will allow the Netherlands to stay near key European partners, and speed up the implementation of kit projects, the ministry said.
Membership will even allow Dutch defense corporations to more easily take part in projects managed by the group, in addition to compete for European projects, even when the Netherlands doesn’t participate itself.
Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren informed parliament of the intention to affix. The intention might be assessed by the OCCAR members, and actual accession for the Netherlands will undergo a parliamentary treaty procedure, in accordance with the ministry.
Rudy Ruitenberg is a Europe correspondent for Defense News. He began his profession at Bloomberg News and has experience reporting on technology, commodity markets and politics.