Wednesday, 18 June 2025, from 12:00 to 13:00 h. CEST (UTC+2). Venue: Fundación Carlos de Amberes, c/ Claudio Coello 99, Madrid.

As European defence rises to the top of the agenda in response to growing geopolitical uncertainty and shifting transatlantic dynamics, the European Union has launched several initiatives to strengthen defence capabilities and industrial cooperation.

It is necessary to explore what these developments mean for Spain, a country often criticised for low defence spending but now poised to increase its budget and engagement. To this end, the Elcano Royal Institute presented new policy paper titled ‘The defence dilemma: can Spain ride Europe’s defence revival?’, authored by Félix Arteaga, Daniel Fiott, and Luis Simón.

The policy paper focuses on Spain’s opportunity to benefit from evolving EU frameworks, such as Readiness 2030, and to take part in flagship defence programmes. It also examines the challenges facing Spain’s defence innovation ecosystem, which remains fragmented and insufficiently integrated with the civilian sector. In addition, the paper maps key strategic, technological, and regulatory shifts in EU defence policy and assesses Spain’s current positioning within this changing landscape.

In this presentation, the authors outlined actionable recommendations for Spain to reinforce its role in European defence and ensure the long-term viability of its industrial base in an increasingly competitive environment.

Hashtag: #DefensaEspUE

Video

Presentation in Spanish of the Elcano Policy Paper: ‘The defence dilemma: can Spain ride Europe’s defence revival?’. Duration: 1:28:05.

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