Defence

ASD's role is to encourage and promote the implementation of appropriate and robust market policies for the defence industry at an EU level.

While EU harmonisation efforts are visibly gaining pace, the real opening of intra-European borders and the emergence of a "common European Defence Equipment Market" will undoubtedly only happen over time as a result of concrete policy implementation efforts under the guidance of the European Security & Defence Policy.

The ASD Defence Commission lead by Mr Gert Runde has set itself the overarching goal of an encouraging the implementation of appropriate and robust Defence Industry, cooperation and market policies at EU Level with details actions for its reporting committees/working groups along the strands of:

• Promoting the creation of a genuinely European Defence Equipment Market based upon the principles of fairness and equitability

• Enhancing value creation in Defence R&T and R&D

• Encouraging a step-change in European Defence Cooperation

• Fostering the development of a European technological and industrial base concept

• Developing and initiating SME support measures

The reporting committees and working groups are aircraft, land systems, naval and rotorcraft sectoral groups. The R&T Defence, Space S&D, Economic & Legal and Export Control Committees are also reporting to the Defence Commission.