On Tuesday 12 May, the Defence Ministers of the EU Member States once again called for an acceleration in European defence equipment production. In their view, while a great deal of funding is available, the defence industry is not speeding up production.
“Deterrence is effective if it is credible. The Member States have released substantial funds, but defence industry production in Europe has not yet reached its full potential. We therefore need faster, cheaper and more rapidly delivered armaments production in order to make up for capability shortfalls”, explained the High Representative of the Union, Kaja Kallas, at the end of the EU Council, acknowledging that the acceleration in the development of the sector was not what had been hoped for.
While the Ministers stressed the need for the industry to deliver equipment on time and in sufficient quantities, the President of the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), Micael Johansson, who met with the EU Council, highlighted the difficulties facing the sector. In a press release, the ASD reiterated that a more integrated approach to public procurement was essential. “Increased coordination between European governments, with harmonised requirements, grouped applications, simplified procedures and reliable long-term demand indicators, will speed up deliveries, improve cost-effectiveness and guarantee interoperability”, the organisation states.
Whatever the difficulties, Europeans are calling for more to be done. “We absolutely must speed up our defence production and make joint acquisitions so that we can produce the defence capabilities we need ourselves”, Mrs Kallas pleaded.
“Today, Russia is capable of producing almost five times as many weapons as Europe put together. This represents a considerable threat to us”, said Lithuanian Minister Robertas Kaunas. He emphasised the need to speed up the development of air defence and anti-drone capabilities, while his Estonian counterpart, Hanno Pevkur, stressed the need for deep strike capabilities.
However, the latter was less alarmist than his Baltic neighbour. “In recent years, we have seen a clear improvement in the preparation of European defence. Defence spending is already approaching €500 billion. With 500 million inhabitants and such an arsenal of defence, we can defend Europe if necessary. Of course, we still need to develop many capabilities, because our allies provide them. But that does not mean that Europe cannot defend itself. Yes, it can, and we need to have more confidence in ourselves”, he asserted.
Strengthening the role of the European Defence Agency. Ahead of the EU Council, the Ministers on the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board approved the Agency’s proposal to progressively strengthen the EDA over the next three years. They validated the first phase, due to be launched in mid-2026, which aims primarily to strengthen the Agency’s innovation and experimentation functions, as well as its acquisition capabilities.
“We have found that too many projects run by different Member States are not interoperable. It is therefore essential to encourage Member States to give priority to joint procurement, but also to innovation”, emphasised Kaja Kallas. “Europe can make a crucial contribution by creating an environment conducive to innovation and the development of production capacity in the European market”, said German Parliamentary State Secretary Sebastian Hartmann.
Specifically, the Agency will extend its operational experimentation campaigns to accelerate the development and integration of emerging technologies into defence capabilities supporting the armed forces. It will also set up a collaborative defence procurement centre bringing together experts in contracts and armaments, enabling it to manage several procurement projects simultaneously. The centre will focus on contract services and off-the-shelf equipment, and will complement national procurement agencies and other international organisations, such as the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR).
In addition to innovation and acquisition, the Agency’s proposal focuses on consolidating its central role in capacity development, strengthening the EDA’s political support, including existing and potential partnerships with third countries and international organisations, and implementing cross-cutting organisational measures to increase the Agency’s efficiency.
“The other lines of action (other than those approved on Tuesday) will be defined in the coming months in close collaboration with our stakeholders, the Member States”, clarified André Denk, the Agency’s Director General, in a press release. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)