The European Commission presented the first-ever European defense and industrial strategy at the EU level, which involves the close involvement of Ukraine.
This was reported by the press service of the European Commission.
The European Defense Industrial Strategy (EDIS) sets out a clear, long-term vision for achieving defense industrial readiness in the European Union.
The strategy outlines the challenges currently facing the European Defense Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), the opportunities to realize its full potential, and sets the direction for the next decade.
To support Member States in achieving these goals, the European Defense Industrial Strategy presents a set of measures aimed at:
- support for more effective expression of member statesʼ requirements for collective defense;
- more prompt provision of availability of all EDTIB defense products under all circumstances and time frames;
- ensuring that national and EU budgets support the adaptation of the European defense industry to the new security context by the necessary means;
- introducing a culture of defense readiness into politics, in particular, calling for a review of the credit policy of the European Investment Bank this year;
- development of closer ties with Ukraine through its participation in EU initiatives to support the defense industry and stimulation of cooperation between the defense industry of the EU and Ukraine;
- unification with NATO and associates, strategic and international partners, closer cooperation with Ukraine.
The strategy establishes indicators that will measure the progress of EU countries on the way to industrial readiness. Member States are offered:
- procure at least 40% of defense equipment jointly by 2030;
- ensure that by 2030 the value of intra-EU defense trade is at least 35% of the value of the EU defense market;
- make steady progress towards procurement — at least 50% of the EU budget for defense procurement by 2030 and 60% by 2035.
During 2025-2027, EDIP will receive €1.5 billion from the EU budget. The EDIP budget will also strengthen the EUʼs defense-industrial cooperation with Ukraine and support the development of Ukrainian defense. For this, EDIP can attract surplus profits from frozen Russian sovereign assets.