Trouble in the neighborhood: defence procurement in Estonia and Lithuania in times of war in Ukraine
ENDue to the bitter historic experience and special geopolitical position, both Estonia and Lithuania have always been particularly vigilant in the field of national security. Becoming Member States of NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) in 2004 was therefore a crucial milestone for the Baltic countries. Nevertheless, the ever-present geopolitical threat in the region creates the need for a legislative framework designed to address the related concerns both in quieter times as well as in the current heightened security situation. While being painfully aware of the potential security threats already much earlier, the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine created a new perspective for the security environment in Europe, particularly for countries bordering the invader, such as the Baltic States. Like other countries, Estonia’s and Lithuania’s response to the war and security threats was a rapid increase of military expenditure aimed at preparing for the worst-case scenario and scale up military capacities. This has obviously brought about significant increases in defence purchases. The escalation of war in Ukraine caused Estonia to recently renew its 10-year National Defence Plan and to increase its defence spending to 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per year to acquire new weapons systems, and to sharply increase the ammunition stocks. *368 This article provides a brief overview of current legal issues related to defence procurement in Estonia and Lithuania. We will firstly introduce the regulatory background, including the implementation of relevant EU law, and the practical arrangements for defence purchasing. Then, attention is given to the legal issues that have proved problematic in obtaining a flexible environment and which may create obstacles to security of information and of supply. In view of such obstacles, we submit proposals for certain legal measures.
