In our latest EIPA in Conversation With episode „European Defence Procurement in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape„, we explored how Europe’s defence procurement is evolving in response to a rapidly deteriorating security environment. With conflicts stretching from the Middle East to Ukraine, defence has become a central political priority. Europe is living through a turbulent security period, where regional conflicts can have global repercussions and directly shape procurement strategies.
There is increasing willingness among EU member states to cooperate, with geopolitical pressure acting as a catalyst for joint procurement. However, progress is slow, mainly because agreeing on common requirements remains difficult.
The core issue is not overregulation, but fragmentation. National approaches have created inefficiencies, and Europe continues to pay for its fragmentation. While new EU instruments aim to enable faster procurement within the rule of law, their impact depends on whether member states actually use them.
Significant gaps remain. Only about 10% of defence spending is reported at EU level, limiting transparency. At the same time, joint procurement raises unresolved legal questions around authority, rules, and jurisdiction.
In practice, cooperation is complex. There is no clear roadmap, and member states must navigate case-by-case arrangements with varying levels of experience and capacity.
National interests still dominate. Many countries prioritise their own defence industries, leading to slow decision-making, over-customisation, and reduced interoperability.
Although the EU has the necessary tools, they are underused. The real barriers are political: limited trust, diverging threat perceptions, and reluctance to give up control. Efforts to accelerate procurement may even deepen fragmentation, as states bypass EU frameworks.
For now, progress is likely to be incremental, through better use of existing tools, less customisation, improved transparency, and smaller “coalitions of the willing.”
European defence procurement is evolving, but remains fragmented and driven by national priorities. Real progress will depend on political will, trust, and a shared strategic vision.
Check out our course on the topic here.
