European Commission presents first ever European Defence Industrial Strategy at the EU level
Brussels, Belgium (Svidomi) — The European Commission has presented the first ever European Defence Industrial Strategy at the EU level, which includes close cooperation with Ukraine.
The European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) now sets out a clear, long-term vision for achieving defence industrial readiness in the European Union.
The European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) is a new legislative initiative that will transition the short-term emergency measures adopted in 2023 and ending in 2025 to a more structured and long-term approach to achieving defence industry readiness. It will ensure the continuity of support for the European defence technology and industrial base to accompany its rapid adaptation to the new reality.
The Strategy outlines the challenges currently facing the European Defence Technology and Industrial Base (EDTIB), the opportunities to fully tap its potential, and sets out the direction for the next decade.
To support Member States in achieving these goals, the European Defence Industrial Strategy presents a set of measures aimed at
- Supporting a more efficient expression of Member States' collective defence requirements;
- Securing the availability of all defence products through a more responsive EDTIB under any circumstances and time horizon;
- Ensuring that national and EU budgets support the necessary means to adapt the European defence industry to the new security context;
- mainstreaming a defence readiness culture across policies, in particular by calling for a review of the European Investment Bank's lending policy this year;
- Developing closer ties with Ukraine through its participation in EU defence industry support initiatives and promoting cooperation between the EU and Ukrainian defence industries;
- Teaming up with NATO and like-minded strategic and international partners and closer cooperation with Ukraine.
The strategy sets indicators that will measure the progress of EU countries on the path to industrial readiness. Member states are encouraged to:
- Procure at least 40% of defence equipment jointly by 2030;
- Ensure that by 2030, the value of defence trade within the EU is at least 35% of the value of the EU defence market;
- Make steady progress in procurement - at least 50% of the EU defence procurement budget by 2030 and 60% by 2035.
Over the 2025-2027 period, €1.5 billion of the EU budget will be spent on EDIP. The EDIP budget will also strengthen the EU's defence and industrial cooperation with Ukraine and support the development of Ukrainian defence. For this purpose, the EDIP can attract excess profits from frozen Russian sovereign assets.
