On 17 June, the European Commission presented the Defence Readiness Omnibus, which introduces a set of measures to help EU Member States and the defence industry to rapidly strengthen defence capabilities and enhance the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). These initiatives aim to cut red tape, streamline access to EU funding, and provide more certainty to defence industries, making it easier to invest in and scale up production. The Omnibus also simplifies participation in the European Defence Fund (EDF) particularly for Ukrainian entities. Furthermore, it proposed aligning chemical regulations with military requirements and improves industry access to finance by adjusting InvestEU criteria and offering clear guidance on sustainable defence investments, including definitions around prohibited weapons.

The Defence Readiness Omnibus emphasizes that military personnel are central to the EU’s strategy to rebuild credible defence capabilities by 2030 in response to the rising and multifaceted threats. As Europe strengthens its defence posture, ensuring the availability, preparedness, and protection of military personnel is essential. The Commission highlights that safeguarding occupational safety remains a priority, and that ensuring high standards for health, safety and labour rights of military forces and defence industry workers is crucial to achieving defence readiness and attracting and retaining skilled personnel. Accordingly, the Commission reiterates that the Working Time Directive, as a cornerstone of the EU’s employment policy, should safeguard workers’ health and safety through minimum standards for working hours and rest periods. In this regard, EUROMIL underlines that the Directive has been under discussion in the majority of the Member States on its application to the military sector, and mostly for non-active deployment situations. As the Court of Justice has confirmed that the Directive may be disapplied in relation to certain specific activities, including active deployment. Thus, the Commission will continue dialogue with Member States and social partners on how the Directive applies to military personnel.

Moreover, the simplification proposal also states that Member States may exempt certain substances from REACH requirements (e.g., registration, data sharing, authorisation) when used specifically for defence purposes, such as weapons, munitions, or classified military operations. Each country will decide for itself when to apply this exemption, usually looking at each situation separately. For military personnel, this means that some chemicals used in their equipment or missions might not go through the usual EU safety checks, depending on their country’s decision. Such decisions should be made cautiously, keeping in mind the potential risks to human health and the environment and should also be based on agreements made through social dialogue.

The Defence Readiness Omnibus builds upon the foundations laid by the White Paper on Defence Readiness 2030 and the Preparedness Union Strategy, with the latter notably emphasizing the importance of civil-military cooperation and dual-use infrastructure. For EUROMIL, the human dimension remains a critical component, one that was underrepresented in the White Paper, which largely focused on defence industry personnel. While the Preparedness Union Strategy broadened the scope to include military personnel, it did so mainly within the context of civil-military synergies. The current Omnibus marks a welcomed and commendable improvement in this regard. Importantly, the application of the Working Time Directive to the Armed Forces is vital in upholding decent working conditions, which are fundamental for effective recruitment and retention strategies. While justified exceptions to the Directive are understandable, especially during critical operations, such exemptions should be transparent and proportionate. It is also worth noting that not all Member States apply the Directive to their military personnel, often relying instead on internal frameworks that may risk undermining social and labour rights. Enhancing social dialogue to proportionally apply the directive to the military sector is crucial, especially considering that some Member States choose not to apply the directive to their militaries at all. In this context, the Defence Readiness Omnibus represents a strong and promising step towards incorporating the human dimension in defence matters.