16/02/2022 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 15 February in the evening, the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD Europe) welcomed the Commission’s contribution on the ‘Strategic Compass’, and the Critical Technology Roadmap presented earlier in the day (see EUROPE 12891/1). The association’s secretary-general, Jan Pie, said the fact that the package sets out various proposals to encourage the joint procurement of defence capabilities developed in collaboration within the EU was an “important step forward”. Mr Pie also found it “encouraging” that the Commission had stressed that EU initiatives on sustainable finance should remain consistent with the EU’s efforts to facilitate sufficient access to finance and investment for the European defence industry. (CG)