Austria’s newly-elected centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP) is calling for the return of offsets. The party’s decision follows the release of the third and final parliamentary report into Austria’s 2003 acquisition of Eurofighter jets. The party recommended that Austria move towards an offset policy similar to that of Switzerland.
The European Commission seems ready to yield to the Netherlands and Denmark over allegations of unjustified offset requirements under Directive 2009/81/EC. The EC’s legalistic approach is wavering as it faces the ramifications of a potentially adverse European Court of Justice ruling in a case involving the interpretation of the use of Article 346 TFEU.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence has described changes to the country’s Industrial Cooperation Program (ICP). The announcement came at the 2019 US-Taiwan Defence Industry Conference in Ellicott City, Maryland. Speakers included General Chang Guan-Chung from the MoND, and politicians from major Taiwanese political parties.
Greece is winding up outstanding historic obligations from defence contractors and is not planning any future use of offsets for military procurements. Two contractors have been served penalty notices.
The Royal Thai Air Force will implement a “purchase-and-develop” policy in its future procurement plans. Under the policy, the RTAF will only purchase defence and strategic hardware if it is allowed to take part in the development of the software used to operate the products.