Released in March, the White Paper outlines three key objectives: closing capability gaps and supporting the European defence industry; deepening the single market for defence; and enhancing European readiness for worst-case scenarios. Notably, it aims to achieve these objectives through guaranteeing more financial flexibility, by implementing regulatory simplifications and harmonisation, and by deploying a dedicated financial instrument to support member states’ defence investments. Consequently, this panel will explore the White Paper’s implications for European defence policy and spending, assessing its complementarity to EDIP, while examining how it balances European defence industrial competitiveness and Europe’s transatlantic and global partnerships.

Ultimately, the discussion will centre on a critical question: will these measures be sufficient to ensure that Europe possesses credible and effective deterrence by 2030?

Europe’s defence industry is under growing pressure to respond to both immediate operational demands and long-term capability shortfalls. Recent EU strategies - such as the European Defence Industrial Strategy and the White Paper for European Defence: Readiness 2030 - aim to strengthen the EDTIB by improving coordination, scaling production, and enhancing supply security, amongst other things. However, unresolved issues around financing, the question of strategic autonomy, and further support for the EDTIB raise doubts about whether these efforts go far enough. This panel will explore whether the EDTIB, as currently structured, can meet Europe’s evolving defence needs - and what more may be required to ensure European industrial readiness at scale.

As geopolitical uncertainties reshape the global security landscape, the EU-NATO partnership remains a vital element to European defence. When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met in October 2024, they reaffirmed the need for deeper cooperation in response to emerging threats, announcing a high-level task force to enhance coordination. However, the arrival of the new US administration has introduced great shifts in transatlantic relations, not only raising serious questions about burden-sharing, but also Europe’s evolving role within NATO and the current value proposition of strategic autonomy. This panel will explore how these dynamics will shape European defence, assessing the future of NATO cooperation, the EU’s ambitions for strategic autonomy, and the Alliance’s capacity to address new security challenges while maintaining transatlantic unity.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU and its Member States have become key players not only in military in shaping Ukraine’s long-term defence industrial development. Through instruments like EDIP and the forthcoming Ukraine Support Instrument, the EU is helping scale Ukraine’s DTIB, modernise supply chains, and deepen joint procurement, advancing interoperability and resilience across the continent. These efforts lay the foundation for Ukraine’s integration into the EDTIB, reinforcing European security.

In parallel, Ukraine’s industrial integration must be framed within the broader context of EU enlargement and integration. Strengthening synergies between defence cooperation and industrial policy supports not only Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction but also the Union’s long-term strategic objectives. This panel will assess how EU instruments can be mobilised across portfolios - particularly under DG DEFIS and DG ENEST - to ensure a coherent approach to Ukraine’s integration, enhance industrial competitiveness, and reinforce the strategic dimension of enlargement as a pillar of EU resilience.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underscored the shifting nature of warfare in Europe, reinforcing the urgency of reassessing the continent’s long-term defence strategy. While immediate efforts focus on supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, the conflict has also demonstrated the growing importance of integrating advanced technologies with conventional military capabilities. The rise of unmanned vehicle technologies and electromagnetic capabilities, for example, has reshaped battlefield dynamics, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in modern warfare.

The opening of the EU Defence Innovation Office in Kyiv in 2024 further underscores the EU’s growing involvement in defence technology cooperation. At the same time, attrition-based strategies raise critical questions about procurement policies and how best to balance investment in cutting-edge systems with the enduring need for traditional defence assets. This panel will examine the evolving role of technology in European defence, exploring how lessons from Ukraine can guide future procurement and innovation strategies, while ensuring resilience against conventional and emerging forms of warfare.

As Europe’s security becomes increasingly reliant on emerging and disruptive technologies, ensuring technological and digital sovereignty is vital for operational resilience and strategic autonomy. This panel will explore how Europe can strengthen its cybersecurity, while advancing AI to enhance defence capabilities and decision-making. With AI becoming central to modern warfare, the panel will address challenges in interoperability, ethical governance, and reducing dependencies on third-party technologies. Additionally, quantum technologies offer transformative opportunities for secure communication and computing, but also introduce new vulnerabilities that Europe has to address.

Moreover, third countries’ rapid progress in advanced military technologies, coupled with limited transparency, pose significant challenges, underscoring the need for Europe to strengthen its understanding of the technological and digital landscape, in addition to integrating civilian-military innovation for strategic competitiveness. Discussions will focus on how Europe can secure its technological sovereignty by fostering innovation, building competitive value chains, and ensuring secure, future-proof systems in cyber, AI and quantum for defence.

In response to escalating global power competition and space-related threats, the EU is taking steps to secure its space assets, defend its interests, and strengthen its strategic autonomy. To remain at the forefront of space innovation, the EU is working towards establishing a single market for space, with the upcoming EU Space Law addressing key areas of safety, resilience, and sustainability. The main priorities will be to aggregate European institutional demand to drive game-changing innovation and investments in critical infrastructure and systems, enhancing space assets with new capabilities and increasing their effectiveness as critical enablers. This panel will explore the EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence, focusing on the EU Space Information Sharing and Analysis Centre and the components of the proposed EU Space Law. It will also delve into the roles of key space systems like Galileo, Copernicus, and IRIS², and examine the importance of launch sites in advancing the EU's space ambitions.

The debate over defence spending as a percentage of GDP has gained in urgency, revealing stark disparities between larger and smaller spenders within the EU. While many Member States acknowledge the need to boost defence budgets, they face constraints from European economic governance rules and uninspiring economic growth. Proposals to address these challenges have included leveraging the EIB for joint defence borrowing and establishing an ESM-backed credit line for national defence spending; ideas that traditionally cautious Member States are being enticed by. Meanwhile, the upcoming post-2027 MFF negotiations introduce further complexity, whilst the new dedicated instrument for Security Action for Europe (SAFE) will see the Commission raise up to €150 billion on the capital markets, prompting further joint procurement and increased investments in Europe’s defence capabilities.

This panel will explore the feasibility of different policy options for defence financing, assessing their sufficiency and implications for NATO objectives and Europe’s strategic priorities. Discussions will also focus on diversifying defence funding in a sustainable way, with an emphasis on R&D, conventional capabilities, and strengthening the EDTIB.

The concept of a Single Market for Defence is key to strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy and enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of its defence sector. In today’s evolving geopolitical landscape, a unified market would streamline procurement, reduce regulatory fragmentation, and foster cross-border industrial cooperation. The discussion will focus on key components such as mutual recognition of certifications, harmonised procurement and export controls, removal of barriers under Article 346 TFEU, EU-preferential tools (EDIRPA, EDIP), simplified intra-EU transfers, joint capability planning via the EDA, and reinforced R&D through the EDF in areas like AI, quantum, and dual-use technologies.

The panel will assess expected benefits: improved readiness and interoperability, stronger EU-based supply chains and production, and reduced external dependencies. Economically, it would enable joint investment, enhance SME access, and expand industrial capacity across Member States, including Ukraine. The discussion will also explore how such a framework can balance national sovereignty with EU coordination and enhance the Union’s role in NATO and global security.

This panel will explore the role of military and non-military means of safeguarding critical infrastructure against hybrid threats, emphasising their contributions to crisis management, recovery, and prevention. As hybrid tactics become increasingly complex, protecting Europe’s critical infrastructure demands coordinated action across civilian, military, and industrial domains. The discussion will examine how enhanced interoperability, foresight capabilities, and integrated response mechanisms can improve resilience.

The panel will also highlight the role of industry in delivering the technologies and tools necessary to counter hybrid threats effectively, while underscoring the importance of deepening civil-military cooperation. Advancing these areas is essential to strengthening communication, coordination, and operational efficiency in response efforts. These efforts align with the Niinistö Report and the EU’s Preparedness Union Strategy, and reinforce NATO’s hybrid threat posture based on the principles of prepare, deter, and defend.