European Defence Union: Moving Beyond NATO Dependence?
"Europe must learn to speak the language of power." This quote by Josep Borrell, the EU's former High Representative, defines the current mood in European capitals. For seventy years, Western Europe outsourced its security to the United States via NATO. The "peace dividend" allowed nations to spend heavily on welfare while letting their militaries atrophy.
That era is over. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine was a brutal wake-up call. Combined with isolationist rhetoric emerging periodically from Washington, European leaders have realized that Strategic Autonomy is no longer a French dream, but a continental necessity.
What is the European Defence Union?
It is important to clarify what this is not. It is not a single "European Army" commanded by Brussels, replacing national forces. That remains a political impossibility for the foreseeable future.
Instead, the European Defence Union (EDU) is about harmonization, procurement, and industrial capacity. Currently, EU member states operate 17 different types of main battle tanks. The US operates one. Europe has 29 types of naval destroyers; the US has four. This fragmentation is a logistical nightmare and a massive waste of money.
PESCO: The Engine of Integration
The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is the legal framework driving this change. Launched in 2017, it has gained real teeth since 2022.
- Military Mobility: Often called a "military Schengen," this project aims to cut the bureaucratic red tape that prevents tanks from moving quickly across borders (e.g., bridge weight limits, customs forms).
- Joint Procurement: The EU is now using its budget to incentivize countries to buy together. If Germany, France, and Poland buy ammunition jointly, they get better prices and encourage industry to scale up production.
The Industrial Renaissance
The biggest beneficiary of this shift is the European defence industry. Companies like Rheinmetall (Germany), Thales (France), and Leonardo (Italy) are seeing record order books. The European Commission's new strategy is explicit: "Buy European." The goal is to reduce dependency on US and South Korean equipment. For example, the FCAS (Future Combat Air System) is a Franco-German-Spanish project to build a sixth-generation fighter jet and drone swarm network to replace the Rafale and Eurofighter by 2040.
NATO vs. EU: Cooperation or Competition?
Critics often ask if an EU Defence Union undermines NATO. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly said no, provided the two are complementary. A stronger European pillar within NATO makes the alliance more balanced. The US has long demanded that Europe "pay its fair share" (the 2% GDP target). The EDU is the mechanism by which Europe finally answers that call.
Conclusion
The road to a true Defence Union is long. National sovereignty over armed forces is a deeply emotional issue. But the direction of travel is set. Europe is slowly transforming from a "soft power" superpower into a hard power player, driven by the realization that in the 21st century, you cannot be a vegetarian in a world of carnivores.