Her white bible European Union (EU) for the defense It was released today (19.03.2025), along with clarifying cobblestones, and as the Commission states in its text, it will emphasize the common weapons markets, integrating the broader planning and Ukraine.
According to the Commission’s questions, the White Paper is forming a new EU defense approach and identifies investment needs to fill critical gaps in capabilities and creating a strong defense industrial base. The proposals will be discussed at the European Council on March 21.
On this basis it determines the necessary steps for the development of European defense, with:
- Providing constant support to Ukraine,
- Closing Europe’s defensive potential for the armed forces of the Member States,
- Strengthening the European Defense Industry,
- Preparing the EU for the most extreme military possibilities,
- Enhancing security through corporate relationships.
- The White Paper also aims to demonstrate the EU’s added value to its defense industry initiatives and to submit new, ambitious proposals.
How does the White Bible help Ukraine?
The package of defense measures helps Ukraine, describing specific ways in which the EU and its Member States can enhance support for Kiev so that the latter can achieve a fair and constant peace.
The White Bible describes a vision of increasing immediate military aid and Ukraine’s participation in the development and supply of defense capabilities.
The integration of the Ukrainian Defense Industry into the European Defense Technological and Industrial Base is also part of overall ambition. This will be supported through the eligibility of Ukrainian defense companies in the context of SAFE supplies, along with the EU Member States industries, as well as by the approval and implementation of Ukraine support average in the context of EDIP and the extension of the EU’s mandate and staff.
How does the White Bible support the European Defense and Technological Industrial Base?
The White Paper recognizes the European Defense Industry as a strategic resource. Proposes the following ways to support it:
- A massive increase in industrial production to tackle the critical gaps that have been identified.
- Simplifying, harmonizing the rules that can facilitate and accelerate industrial defense production. To this end, the Commission will propose a regulation for all -nourishment of defense and a strategy to deepen the market for defense products and services at EU level.
What is the design plan of the defense industry?
The plan to produce the defense industry is a document issued by the Commission, in close coordination with the European Foreign Action Agency, the European Defense Organization, the Member States and the Defense Industry.
The project will provide the European Defense Industry with increased predictability of demand and allow the EU to adjust and target its support measures better.
This document will describe industrial production objectives to tackle the accounted for vacant capabilities, as well as the identification of priority sectors for industrial investment.
The needs found can receive support from the EU, that is, incentives for joint supplies within the edip or average safe and incentives to increase production under the edip.
The EU Military Staff and the European Defense Organization will provide their expertise in this process, e.g. With regard to lack of capabilities, the concentration of demand and the harmonization of requirements, as well as the common commissions.
What is a single market for defense?
A genuine unified defense market could be described as a market where cross -border markets within the EU are considered equivalent to national markets. And at the level of both the final users and all the supply chains.
Creating a real single market for defense products will allow the EU defense industry to benefit from a larger market, gaining effectiveness and improving access to innovation.
But this requires the Member States to cooperate more and not to follow exclusively national approaches that are the cause of the market fragmentation.
The package of defense measures offers a strategy to achieve a real unified defense market, which includes both defense supplies and technology transfers within the EU.
How does the White Bible relate to the strategic compass, edis and edip?
European Defense Industrial Strategy came from the need to have a more structured approach to support the defense industry
The White Bible has a much wider scope with the focus of the future of European defense. Its purpose is to form a new approach to defense and to contribute to the readiness of the Member States for the most extreme military possibilities.
It is based on EDIS (eg the need to spend more, better, together and European), as well as the strategic compass and the analysis of gaps in defense investment. However, it will go beyond that to pave the way for a European defense union.
How does the EU add value to defense and security?
EU existing programs and initiatives have already demonstrated their potential:
- The EU’s total investment in Defense Research and Development is EUR 8 billion (2021-2027), while the Commission has already committed € 5.4 billion since the launch of the European Defense Fund.
- EUR 513 million has been used to increase the production of ammunition (ASAP), with the annual EU’s annual production capacity projected to reach 2 million by the end of 2025.
- EUR 310 million has already been allocated for the common supply of defense platforms and systems (EDIRPA).
- The EU is boosting defense cooperation by increasing efficiency, solidarity encouraging and creating cross -border cooperation. Each project of the European Defense Fund participates an average of 17 bodies from 8 Member States, for example.
What will happen after the White Bible published?
The White Paper opens a new strategic sequence of how European defense will be promoted. It will form the basis for thorough discussions with Member States and relevant stakeholders.
The European Council is expected to discuss the proposals at its forthcoming sessions on March 21 and June 26-27, which are expected to lead to specific commitments to implement the vision described in the White Bible.
The European Commission will urgently proceed with the initiatives proposed in the White Paper, such as the Omnibus Defense Regulation.