Eu Policy for Deepening Military-industrial Cooperation - National and European Features

Abstract

This article examines some national and allied features of the European defense industry and the EU defense market. The article claims that on one hand, the EU countries share a common position for the importance of military-industrial cooperation, which they see as a tool for achieving the EU's strategic autonomy. On the other hand, this research insists that at national level the EU countries see the issue through the prism of their own sovereignty and independence. There are some alternatives before EU governments and businesses. The first option is to lose some of their independence, but to develop and acquire with other countries new weapons and equipment, which in general means lower costs. The other option is to preserve their sovereignty but to pay a high financial price. Finally, this paper presents some aspects of the EU's political commitments and examines the European Defense Fund as a tool for defense-industrial cooperation.