European Union is in preparatory action on defence research

USPA NEWS - European states are under-performing on defence research and development. In response, the European Union is planning a Preparatory Action on Common Security and Defence Policy-related research. By Daniel Fiott, Researcher, Institute for European Studies, Free University of Brussels, and Renaud Bell

A “˜GAME CHANGER´? THE EU´S PREPARATORY ACTION ON DEFENCE RESEARCH-------------------------------------European states are under-performing on defence research and development. In response, the European Union is planning a Preparatory Action on Common Security and Defence Policy-related research. If successful, the Preparatory Action may eventually lead to a European Defence Research Programme funded directly from the EU Budget. The Preparatory Action raises important questions about the way the EU thinks about and funds defence research. In looking at how the Preparatory Action could relate to defence innovation, how it can leverage national defence R&T and R&D efforts and the likely implications of an Europeanisation of defence research, this Policy Paper asks to what extent the Preparatory Action can be considered a “˜game changer´ for European efforts on defence R&T and R&D. By Daniel Fiott, Researcher, Institute for European Studies, Free University of Brussels, and Renaud Bellais, Associate Researcher in Economics, ENSTA Bretagne, France. ““ April 2016----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Armament Industry European Research Group (Ares Group) was created in 2016 by The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (Iris), who coordinates the Group. The aim of the Ares Group, a high-level network of security and defence specialists across Europe, is to provide a forum to the European armament community, bringing together top defence industrial policy specialists, to encourage fresh strategic thinking in the field, develop innovative policy proposals and conduct studies for public and private actors.