It is often said that we create a new world by sacrificing the old. Little did I expect a global pandemic and the return of full-scale war to Europe — which both marked my mandate — to put an end to old certainties so definitively. Russia
has left us in no doubt that the peace dividend of the post-Cold War period, where defence resources could be released for other purposes, is over. Then add China, which has morphed from a trading partner to a systemic rival — plus, supports
Russia against Ukraine.
At a time of rising defence spending, the European Union must seize this moment. As the United States pivots towards countering China, the EU should be ready to shoulder more responsibility. This is not just a necessity—it’s a test of the
EU’s long-held ambition of greater independence in defence, in full complementarity with NATO, and which EDA does its utmost to support.
Much has been said about the goal of ‘strategic autonomy’. Yes, we must strive to uphold our European values of democracy and rule of law, and be able to protect our citizens. But as we progress, I believe ‘operational autonomy’
is a better expression of what we seek.
Because firstly, by no means do we wish to turn our backs on the United States, and secondly Europe is faced with multiple crises in our neighbourhood, from the Middle East to the Sahel.
This is not just semantics. As Chief Executive, I signed an Administrative Arrangement between EDA and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in April 2023 to formalise transatlantic defence cooperation. I trust that the new U.S. administration will continue
this enhanced dialogue in areas such as military mobility, for our troops to move swiftly across Europe, supply chain issues, and the impact of climate change on defence.
Our coming of age
We at EDA are backing up words with actions. From projects worth barely €200 million a decade ago, we are now managing over €1 billion, including EU-funded programmes and projects in Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). Though a relatively
small agency, we have in our way, helped addressed Europe’s immediate challenges, none more pressing than the war in Ukraine. From coordinating military testing to helping chart a way ahead on autonomous systems, EDA is at the heart of European
defence cooperation.
My EDA team has reinvigorated the EU’s defence review, which is now considered the ‘State of the Union’ on defence. We are helping to bring together our Member States to collaborate in areas from air and missile defence to a new naval
combat vessel.
Other highlights during my mandate at EDA include:
- Buying 155mm ammunition on behalf of Member States for stockpiles and Ukraine
- Transferring the Agency’s Multinational Helicopter Training Centre to Portugal
- Training more than 900 personnel from 14 EU Member States to counter improvised explosive devices
- Seeing the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MRTT), an EDA-facilitated project, reach full operational capability to provide air-to-air refuelling, cargo transport, and medical evacuation capabilities worldwide
- Establishing the Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI) within EDA
- Striving for more access to finance for European defence companies.
EDA has also helped bring Member States together in areas from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite development to cloud-computing technologies. Supporting aeromedical evacuation and jointly procuring satellite communications are other areas of our work. When
it comes to green defence, the Agency helps adopt cleaner, sustainable energy models.
I wish I could say this were enough. Still, I believe I have witnessed a ‘coming of age’ of EU defence since 2020. Twenty years since EDA was established, we are now doing more than ever to help our Members States research, develop, buy and
operate the weapons, systems and technologies they need.
As I leave the Agency, I am acutely aware that it will take yet more resources, more cooperation, and the buy-in of European citizens, to fully embrace the challenge ahead. Leaving EDA marks a personal ‘farewell to arms’ of sorts, but simultaneously,
I issue a ‘call to arms’ for all, encouraging my successor to carry on the mission with vigilance and commitment, underscoring the enduring importance of our collective effort in the realm of EU defence.