The European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) unveiled on Thursday (16 October) the “Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030”, an ambitious plan to build a harmonised European-wide defence market, boost investments in the sector and transform the EU into a fully combat-ready force by the end of the decade.
The roadmap sets out a five-year plan to increase both public and private investment in defence, enhance military mobility and strengthen Europe’s industrial and technological base.
Defence flagships
Central to the plan are four “Defence Flagship” initiatives, each targeting a current strategic vulnerability. The European Drone Defence Initiative is a coordinated effort to counter rising drone threats through shared technology development, joint procurement, and the creation of a common European counter-drone network. The Eastern Flank Watch will serve as a surveillance and intelligence platform to strengthen situational awareness, deterrence, and rapid reaction along the EU’s eastern borders.
The European Air Shield aims to establish an EU-wide air and missile defence network built on interoperable systems and shared command structures. Finally, the European Space Shield will protect Europe’s satellites and space assets, ensuring secure navigation, communications, and intelligence services essential for modern defence. All four initiatives are designed to work in close collaboration and full coordination with NATO.
Harmonised defence market
The roadmap also envisions a harmonised European defence market by 2030 to reduce fragmentation, accelerate joint procurement, and enable large-scale, cross-border production of critical defence equipment. The goal is to streamline rules and procedures so that defence industries across the EU can operate more efficiently and deliver at scale.
This long-lived ambition is often met with caution from member states, many of which are accustomed to protecting their own national industries and procurement decisions from European-level involvement, frequently citing national security exemptions.
Lastly, on the market, the plan includes establishing an EU-wide “military mobility area” by 2027, intended to speed up troop and equipment deployment by land, air, and sea and across borders in response to direct military threats.
Ramp up the production
Another objective is to reinforce the European defence technological and industrial base by increasing production capacity, improving supply chain resilience, and encouraging innovation. To this end, the Commission and EEAS propose deeper collaboration between defence industries through “Capability Coalitions” in nine critical areas, among which areair and missile defence, artillery systems, maritime capabilities, and ammunition. Both institutions foresee a strong role for Ukrainian companies in contributing to European innovation and production.
Strategic planning
The Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030 builds on the “White Paper for European Defence” and the accompanying “ReArm Europe Plan” introduced in March. The White Paper outlined a long-term vision for a European defence union and identified three priorities: closing capability gaps and simplifying defence regulation (through the fifth “Omnibus” simplification package in July), deepening the single defence market via innovation, and enhancing military mobility and operational cooperation.
The ReArm Europe Plan combines national financial flexibility under the bloc’s fiscal rules, available EU funding, and private investment to accelerate the development of defence capabilities. Most important is the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, agreed by the Council in May, which provides €150 billion in long-term loans to support joint defence procurement, also allowing participation by Ukraine and EEA countries.
