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1. The Instrument has the following objectives:

(a) to foster the competitiveness and efficiency of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), including SMEs and mid-caps, for a more resilient and secure Union, in particular by speeding up, in a collaborative manner, the adjustment of industry to structural changes, including through the creation and ramp-up of its manufacturing capacities and the opening of the supply chains for cross-border cooperation throughout the Union, thereby allowing the EDTIB to provide the defence products needed by Member States;

(b) to foster cooperation in defence procurement processes between participating Member States in order to contribute to solidarity, prevent crowding-out effects, increase the effectiveness of public spending and reduce excessive fragmentation, ultimately leading to an increase in the standardisation of defence systems and greater interoperability between Member States’ capabilities, while preserving the competitiveness and diversity of products available to Member States and in the supply chain.

2. The objectives set out in paragraph 1 shall be pursued with an emphasis on strengthening and developing the EDTIB throughout the Union to allow it to address, in particular, the most urgent and critical defence product needs, especially those revealed or exacerbated by the response to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, such as the shipment of defence products to Ukraine, taking into account the objectives of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence and considering the work of the Defence Joint Procurement Task Force. This may be achieved through the replenishment of stockpiles which are depleted as a result of defence-product transfers to Ukraine, including with equipment available on the market, as well as through the replacement of obsolete equipment and the reinforcement of capabilities.