EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in Brussels on Tuesday that Europe’s defence industry is not ramping up as fast as expected, even as member states increase spending and plan more joint procurement. [1, 2]
Kallas said she shared the frustration of governments pushing for faster output. "I share your frustration because I have this same feeling," she said, adding: "Somehow, we haven't seen the industry ramping up as we would have expected." [1]
She said some production has risen, including ammunition, air defence and other critical capabilities, but firms still face problems with unclear rules, different national standards and fragmented orders across the bloc. Kallas also said the EU wants more interoperable projects because many national programmes do not fit together well. [1, 2]
EU defence ministers met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss Ukraine, industrial capacity and Middle East security issues, with Kallas pressing for more joint procurement and closer co-operation on projects. She said member states have a lot of funding available, but the industry is not converting that money into faster production. [2]
The EU plans to boost defence spending and support rearmament with additional funding and loans, including $940 billion in extra defence spending by 2030, a $176 billion loan programme for joint defence projects and $762 billion in loosened fiscal room over the next four years. [1]
Kallas said the bloc will keep focusing on innovation and joint projects to reduce duplication across member states. [2]
