Brussels, 20/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - The defence industry calls on member states to increase coordination for defence procurement purposes. In a press release, the head of the European Association of Aerospace and Defence Industries, Domingo Ureña-Raso, says that if there is no significant change in the current situation in the years to come, then Europe runs the risk of losing key defence capacity. Despite the introduction in August this year of EU Directive 2009/81/EC on defence contracts, harmonisation of the rules for issuing defence contracts has not been accompanied by any consolidation of demand or any increase in R&D, regrets the organisation, which wants the EU to take the lead in defence. On Monday 23 May, the European Commission is holding a conference on public procurement in the defence industry, attended by EU Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani and Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier. (M.B./transl.fl)