Ursula von der Leyen opens 1st strategic dialogue with EU defence industry

In a move to boost Europe's security and strategic autonomy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday convened the first-ever Strategic Dialogue with representatives of the European defence industry.

The meeting highlighted the crucial role of the defence sector, with President von der Leyen emphasising the urgent need for Europe's defence industry to operate at a greater scale and speed.

Sharing a post on X, von der Leyen wrote, "As our Union takes on greater responsibility for its defence, we need a strong defence industry. It's not only a matter of security - but also competitiveness. I met with European industry leaders to hear from them how we can support this crucial sector even more."

In a statement released on Monday, the European Commission said, "Today, 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."

Acknowledging the defence sector's response since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, she also addressed challenges, ranging from market fragmentation to regulatory hurdles and talent shortages.

"The President stressed that Europe's defence industry must be capable of responding at scale and 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 -- Fragmentation of the demand and supply side, Regulatory barriers, Access to raw materials, The need to keep pace with fast innovation cycles and shorter feedback loops, Access to finance, Access to skilled labour (especially STEM)," the statement said.

"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, joint procurement frameworks and other issues," the statement added.

The statement further said that the 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.