With Russia’s unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, high-intensity conflict has returned to our continent. This is why a new, first-ever European Defence Industrial Strategy has been put forward. It sets a clear, long-term vision to achieve defence industrial readiness in the European Union. We need to have the defence systems and equipment ready when they are needed and in the quantities that are needed.
The Strategy sets out several new actions to achieve this:
- encouraging EU countries to invest more, better, together and European. This will be promoted thanks to new programmes to buy and work more easily together at the European level.
- making European defence industry stronger, more responsive and more innovative. Steps will also be taken to support research, boost investment and work on issues along supply chains. As part of this, an Office for Defence Innovation will open in Kyiv.
- funding to ready the defence industry, through a new European Defence Industry Programme worth €1.5 billion and discussing defence needs for the next long-term EU budget
- teaming up with partners across the globe - Ukraine will for instance be able to take part in EU defence industry programmes.
The Strategy also sets out a number of targets. By 2030, EU countries should:
- buy at least 40% of the defence equipment by working together
- spend at least half of their defence procurement budget on products made in Europe
- trade at least 35% of defence goods between EU countries instead of with other countries
This will help make the EU safer and more resilient. It will not only benefit all of us in the EU, but also key allies including NATO and Ukraine.
For more information
European Defence Industrial Strategy
European Defence Industrial Programme
Factsheet on the European Defence Industrial Strategy
- Publication date
- 5 March 2024
- Author
- Directorate-General for Communication
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