Why Europe must strengthen Its defence partnerships

The world is facing rising geopolitical tensions—Russia’s war against Ukraine, growing uncertainties in global security, and shifting US commitments to European defence. In this landscape, deeper EU-UK defence industrial cooperation is not just desirable but is an imperative.

The UK’s aerospace, defence, security, and space industries are already deeply embedded in European supply chains, linking multinational contractors and a vibrant SME community. Yet, EU-UK defence industrial cooperation remains underdeveloped. As the EU strengthens its strategic defence capabilities, forging a UK-EU defence and security agreement is a crucial step toward enhancing procurement efficiency, scaling up industrial capacity, and driving innovation, all while ensuring UK firms remain competitive in Europe’s evolving defence landscape.

The UK-EU defence agreement: a strategic imperative

Securing a bespoke UK-EU defence and security agreement during the upcoming summit on 19 May would reinforce Europe’s readiness to tackle emerging threats. Beyond enhancing cooperation, it should actively support the implementation of the White Paper on European Defence and its core objectives to ensure a cohesive security framework that strengthens shared capabilities.

To maximise its impact, the agreement must focus on key strategic priorities:

Closing critical capability gaps (as explicitly laid out in the European White Paper)

  • Establish a comprehensive framework that allows both parties to leverage their strengths in defence innovation.
  • Implement a formal dialogue mechanism alongside robust legal and technical arrangements to facilitate secure information-sharing.
  • Drive regulatory reforms to remove barriers limiting UK participation in EU defence industrial initiatives.

Building a globally competitive European defence market

  • Clarify export control and intellectual property rights to ensure seamless collaboration across defence industries.
  • Enable UK participation in PESCO, the European Defence Fund (EDF), and European Defence Agency (EDA) projects, enhancing collective security.

Strengthening defence supply chains and workforce development

  • Initiate a structured EU-UK dialogue to notably tackle defence supply challenges, proactively addressing vulnerabilities in defence manufacturing, and enhance long-term resilience of the European industrial and technological base.
  • Establish workforce mobility initiatives to strengthen expertise in cybersecurity, aerospace engineering, and defence manufacturing.

Enhancing European readiness through better EU-UK and EU-NATO coordination

  • Align EU-NATO efforts by coordinating threat assessments, defence planning, and industry engagement to enhance operational readiness.
  • Improve intelligence-sharing, counter-terrorism coordination, border security, and cybersecurity collaboration to reinforce strategic cohesion.
  • Introduce formal consultation mechanisms so the UK can contribute meaningfully to EU defence discussions while maintaining sovereignty on both sides.

The Time for Action: May 19 and beyond

The upcoming political summit on May 19 presents a critical opportunity to reset EU-UK defence relations, but its success hinges on keeping security cooperation distinct from broader diplomatic disputes. Issues like fishing rights must not be allowed to derail urgent defence collaboration. Europe can no longer afford hesitation. History offers a stark reminder of the dangers of complacency. Stefan Zweig, in The World of Yesterday, observed Europe’s slow march towards war, a descent into chaos that many dismissed until it was inevitable. His generation learned, too late, that political division and misplaced contentment were the prelude to disaster. Today’s leaders must heed that lesson: Europe’s security is not guaranteed. It must be built with intention, cooperation, and urgency.

As the EU shifts focus to implementing its White Paper on European Defence and strengthening its industrial strategy, it is essential that the UK industry does not stand apart. Instead, it should be at the heart of a stronger, more resilient, and united European defence ecosystem.

Security challenges demand collective action, and history shows that hesitation weakens, while unity fortifies. As Romain Rolland warned in Above the Battle, nations must not watch history unfold from the sidelines. Instead, they must embrace collaboration, ensuring that together we’re stronger.