Simplification is not a bureaucratic exercise. It is a strategic necessity. Ukraine has shown what frontline agility and innovation really mean.
Europe has finally raised its ambition on defence spending. But if we want to lead in defence innovation, we must be equally bold in rewriting the rules that govern it.
Today’s Defence Omnibus proposal from the European Commission is a welcome first step. It introduces fast-track permitting (cutting delays to 60 days), simplifies access to the European Defence Fund, eases joint procurement, and clarifies how EU rules – from competition to chemicals – apply to defence. It also improves access to finance by clarifying InvestEU criteria and aligning with the Sustainable Finance Framework. The idea of a military mobility Schengen is long overdue.
These are necessary reforms – but not sufficient on their own. This must be the foundation for a truly innovative European defence tech ecosystem. Without the capacity to develop and deploy advanced technologies – AI, drones, cyber tools – we will not be able to respond to today’s security threats.
The Omnibus must be the start, not the ceiling. If we are serious about building European champions in AI, autonomous systems, and drones, we need to rethink the full regulatory environment that shapes defence innovation. This is about more than security – it’s about industrial competitiveness.
That means:
This is not just defence policy – this is innovation policy. Defence tech is often dual-use, and simplifying the GDPR for security-related data processing could unlock vital access for example.
Spending billions and ending up dependent on non-European suppliers would be a strategic failure. This time, we must back frontier innovators – startups and scaleups – and make every rule count for European leadership.
