Commission proposes defence action plan

The European Commission has presented a roadmap for measures to strengthen the Single Market for defence, to promote a more competitive defence industry and to foster synergies between civil and military research, including details and timelines for the actions.

European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, said: “The European Council recognised that defence collaboration between member states needed to be deeper and more sustained if the EU was to adequately face its security challenges. Therefore, it is vital that the European defence industry remains a world-leading centre for manufacturing and innovation, creating highly qualified jobs and growth.”

The Commission said that falling national investment in defence R&D is a long term threat to the competitiveness of Europe’s defence industry. It will therefore maximise synergies between European civil and military research co-ordinated by the EDA within the limits allowed by the civil focus of the Horizon 2020 research programme. It will also develop preparatory action in order to illustrate the added value of an EU contribution to Common Security and Defence Policy-related research.

The Commission also believes that there are potential benefits in terms of reduced costs and greater efficiency to be gained from increased synergies between national and European space capabilities. The Commission will, through Horizon 2020, look at ways of encouraging the development and renewal of Space Surveillance and Tracking assets.

Support for SMEs will be provided, including the development of networks between defence-related regions within the EU, supporting defence-related SMEs in global competition and providing practical guidance to SMEs and European regional authorities clarifying the eligibility of using European funds in support of dual-use projects.