Europe Needs Clear Rules to Build Better Defences

The European Union is racing to spend more on defence after Russia’s 2022 attack on Ukraine and a shift in U. S. support. But politicians are still unsure who should make the decisions, which risks wasting money and time. The EU’s new plans include a €150 billion loan for weapons, an industrial programme to grow local production, and a roadmap that aims to ready Europe by 2030. Despite these big ideas, the organisation of work is still messy. The Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe says its members—over 4 000 companies in 21 countries—feel the lack of clear governance. They call it an “alphabet soup” of bodies that all have a say but no one knows exactly what each does. Air and missile defence is a key example.Several projects aim to protect against drones, missiles and other threats, but they come from different agencies. Without a single leader, projects overlap and resources get spread thin. Some officials want more coordination across Europe. European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has proposed a European Security Council that could involve non‑EU members like Britain. However, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas doubts that another institution would actually help. In short, Europe’s defence future depends on clear rules about who decides what and how fast decisions are taken. If politicians do not set up a simple governance structure, the continent risks losing money and time that could otherwise strengthen its security.