Spain to Join Code of Conduct for European Defence Equipment Market

European Defence Agency, BRUSSELS: The European Defence Agency today welcomed the announcement that Spain will join the inter-governmental regime for defence procurement on 1 July, taking the number of subscribers to 24 out of the EDA’s 26 Member States. Hungary announced on 14 May that it would join the regime from 1 July. 
 
Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the Agency this year, are evaluating the regime and the principles of its two main instruments, the Code of Conduct and the Code of Best Practice in the Supply Chain, and may decide to join at a later stage. 
 
The voluntary regime is designed to increase transparency and competition, offer armed forces and taxpayers better value for money, broaden business opportunities for defence-related companies of all sizes and help to strengthen the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. 
 
In the year since the regime came into force, governments have advertised nearly 200 contract opportunities worth approximately EUR 10 billion on the European Bulletin Board online portal, which is operated by the Agency. 
 
Since March, the EBB has also displayed industry-to-industry sub-contracting opportunities for defence equipment under the Code of Best Practice in the Supply Chain, which extends the benefits of a more transparent and competitive market to smaller companies and suppliers across Europe. So far, more than 100 such opportunities have been posted there. 
 
“We are delighted that Spain and Hungary have decided to join the regime,” said EDA Chief Executive Nick Witney. “This is further evidence that governments recognise the benefits of the Code of Conduct and of more open, cross-border competition in this vital sector of the economy.”