2016 was a seminal moment for European defence and a defining year for the European Defence Agency (EDA). The events that shaped 2016 added a new sense of urgency and determination to see Europe delivering on its potential in defence. The time has gone when Europe’s achievements were judged in terms of what it agreed on paper. Henceforth the success or failure of European ambitions in defence will be judged exclusively on the basis of action and implementation. Defence is now, and needs to remain, firmly on the European political agenda.