Plans to massively increase spending on defence must not lead to attacks on living standards, trade unions say as European leaders take part in the NATO summit and European Council.
Most European countries spend around 1% to 2% of their GDP on defence, but NATO members will now be expected to raise that to 5% over the next ten years. At the European Council, leaders are expected to examine ways to “substantially increase expenditure on European defence and security.”
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) supports coordinated and improved security policies that ensure Europe contributes to guaranteeing peace, the rule of law, human rights and social progress across the world.
But social spending must be safeguarded. EU funds initially intended for cohesion and recovery programmes have already been diverted towards the defence sector. One Belgian economist has warned reaching the Nato target would cost each household around 6,000 Euro.
Governments must avoid increasing the financial burden on working people and instead ensure the wealthiest pay their fair share of tax. A recent European Parliament survey found rising prices and the cost-of-living remains the top priority of Europeans.
ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said:
“As someone who represents workers in Ukraine, I take the need to improve Europe’s security and defence coordination and capabilities extremely seriously. Any increases in defence spending cannot though lead to attacks on the living standards of people across Europe.
“The EU should stop raiding already insufficient social funds and governments must not make working people, pensioners or disabled people pay the price of unrealistic targets they’ve signed up to.
“Failing to invest in our public services will leave Europe unprepared for the challenges we face and further squeezing workers who haven’t recovered from the cost of living crisis will see public support quickly fall away.
“At a time when CEOs pay themselves more than 100 times than the average worker and shareholders have received record dividends, it is time for the richest to make a contribution.
“We must also ensure that increased public spending on defence doesn’t simply further enrich the shareholders and CEOs of arms manufacturers. Funding must be made dependent on social conditions that mean workers in the sector are covered by collective agreements, which ensure fair pay, working conditions and training.”