On Tuesday, 18 March, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU needs to have a strong European defence posture by 2030 – five years from now.
“‘Readiness 2030’ means having rearmed and developed the capabilities to have credible deterrence. ‘Readiness 2030’ means having a defence industrial base that is a strategic advantage. But to be ‘2030 ready’, we must move now”, the president warned during a speech at the Royal Danish Military Academy. The European Commission will present its ‘White Paper on the Future of European Defence’ this Wednesday (see EUROPE 13599/1).
According to Mrs von der Leyen, the first “and overarching” priority is to massively increase defence spending.
Moreover, the president took the view that capability gaps in priority areas need to be closed “the European way”, which implies “large-scale, pan-European cooperation”. “That starts with fundamentals like infrastructure and military mobility. By 2030, we need a functioning EU-wide network of land corridors, airports, and seaports to facilitate the fast transport of troops and military equipment”, she explained.
“The scale, the cost, and the complexity of projects in these areas go far beyond any single Member State’s capacity. But together, as Europeans, we can master this challenge,” the president emphasised. She called for large-scale projects to be developed and for collaborative procurement to increase in these areas – which requires “pooling demand, shorten[ing] lead times, and ensur[ing] interoperability”.
The president also stressed the importance of strengthening Europe’s defence industrial base, highlighting the need for a European market that “will be a driver for the EU’s prosperity and industrial competitiveness as much as for its security and will unleash innovation, research, and skills.”
As Agence Europe previously reported (see EUROPE 13599/1), the European Commission will present a ‘defence omnibus’ “to simplify rules and regulations – from certification to permitting to joining existing contracts” and will launch a strategic dialogue with the defence industry to examine the obstacles that are standing in its way.
Finally, the president insisted on increasing support for Ukraine, speaking in favour of creating a “joint task force” with Ukraine “to coordinate the European Union’s and the Member States’ military support to Ukraine” and expediting Ukraine’s integration into the European defence equipment market. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)