Another brutal lesson in European “solidarity,” says MEP Michał Dworczyk. Committees of the European Parliament have adopted the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), which, in practice, excludes Poland and other NATO eastern flank countries from meaningful participation in shaping EU defense policy.
Germany and France Win, Poland Loses
Today, the SEDE and ITRE committees approved EDIP—a project originally intended to strengthen Europe’s defense capabilities. Unfortunately, as Michał Dworczyk warns, the final shape of the document is highly unfavorable for Poland.
“This is a project that, instead of reinforcing Europe’s defense, divides it and sidelines those who should be its cornerstone,” commented the Law and Justice (PiS) MEP.
Dworczyk points out that although Civic Platform MEPs Andrzej Halicki and Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz made last-ditch efforts to salvage the situation, it was too late.
“They made a mistake. I don’t believe it was ill-intentioned, but the consequences will affect everyone—especially Polish businesses,” he wrote on platform X.
Nearly all Polish amendments—including over 60 proposals from PiS—were rejected. Amendments from Civic Platform were also dismissed, including a call to postpone the vote. In the end, seeing no other option, Civic Platform MEPs withdrew their voting cards and abstained from the vote.
— Michał Dworczyk (@michaldworczyk) April 24, 2025
Dziś kolejna brutalna lekcja czym jest naprawdę „europejska solidarność”. Komisje SEDE oraz ITRE w PE przyjęły Europejski Program na rzecz Przemysłu Obronnego (EDIP). Niestety, tak jak ostrzegaliśmy, finalna wersja tego programu nie jest korzystna dla Polski. Platforma… pic.twitter.com/npV1IAGWpX
EU Centralization
According to Dworczyk, EDIP reflects a broader trend of centralizing power within the EU and favoring the largest economies. The project stipulates that at least 70%—ideally 80%—of components must originate from within the EU. While this may sound reasonable in theory, in practice it excludes Polish companies that rely on U.S. or South Korean technology.
Amendments proposing preferential treatment for NATO eastern flank countries—which allocate the highest percentage of GDP to defense—were also ignored.
“Why are we punishing those who have been investing in Europe’s security for years?” the MEP asks.
Dworczyk believes the biggest mistake was pushing EDIP through under an urgent and simplified procedure, which sidelined most of the European Parliament and severely limited the opportunity for meaningful debate.
“It’s outrageous that a document of this importance was pushed through without proper democratic oversight,” he commented.
Reflecting on how EDIP was handled, Dworczyk praised the professionalism of the French, whose representatives from two different political groups jointly led the project as co-rapporteurs:
“It’s a model example of acting in the national interest. Unfortunately, the Polish delegation lacked a cohesive strategy.”
Rather than strengthening the EU’s collective security, EDIP is set to become yet another tool for favoring major corporations from Germany and France—at the expense of countries like Poland, which serve as Europe’s frontline defense.