MEPs urge to strengthen European defence innovation

Today, MEPs will adopt the report by Greens/EFA MEP and European Parliament rapporteur Mārtiņš Staķis on strengthening Europe's defence innovation and helping start-ups and small businesses to improve their market position against large corporations.

The report calls for easier access to public procurement contracts, faster and more coordinated testing and certification procedures, and closer cooperation between EU Member States. It also urges to strengthen Europe's technological independence and expand defence innovation partnerships with Ukraine.

MEP Mārtiņš Staķis from Latvia, European Parliament rapporteur and Greens/EFA coordinator in the SEDE Committee, comments:

“Europe has no shortage of brilliant ideas. What it is short of is the willingness to take risks. Our small companies invent excellent new defence technologies, but too often they never make it into production, or they end up growing in the United States or elsewhere. Our defence systems are still built for yesterday’s wars and are afraid of failure.

“Our report proposes simple fixes: give these companies real contracts, give them places to test their products, get EU countries to buy from them together, and stop making them go through 27 different approval processes. If it is invented in Europe, it must be made in Europe, by Europe’s start-ups, for Europe’s security.”