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Read-out of the first meeting of the Strategic Dialogue with the European Defence Industry

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President von der Leyen opened the first-ever Strategic Dialogue with representatives of the European Defence Industry. The Dialogue underscored the crucial role of the European defence industry in safeguarding European security in a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.

The President stressed that Europe's defence industry must be capable of responding at scale and at speed. She commended the industry's efforts since the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, including significantly ramping up production and opening new factory lines. She also pointed to persistent structural challenges faced by this industry, and in particular: 1) Fragmentation of the demand and supply side, 2) Regulatory barriers, 3) Access to raw materials, 4) The need to keep pace with fast innovation cycles and shorter feedback loops, 5) Access to finance, 6) Access to skilled labour (especially STEM).

To address these issues, the Commission reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with industry stakeholders. The President invited the industry to share their views in order to inform upcoming initiatives, including the Defence Omnibus package, to be presented in June 2025. This package will streamline rules and regulations—covering certification, permits, and joint procurement frameworks and other issues.

Participants engaged in constructive discussions on key areas, including securing investments, enhancing defence industrial cooperation, fostering innovation and technological advancement, securing supply chains, and investing in skills and workforce development.

President von der Leyen, Commissioner Kubilius and the sector agreed to remain in close contact to further strengthen the European defence industrial base.

Background

A strong European defence industry is vital to our continent's security, especially as our Union takes on greater responsibility for its own defence. It is also key to Europe's competitiveness, supporting 800,000 direct and indirect jobs, boosting exports, and driving innovation with wide-reaching civilian benefits.

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The Commission's Readiness 2030 plan aims to strengthen the European defence industrial base by unlocking €800 billion in investment. It incentivises joint procurement and ensures that greater share of defence spending remains within Europe.

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