After Iranian attacks, Europe needs joint air defence now

The EPP Group calls for Europe to develop robust air, missile, and anti-drone defence capabilities. Missile and drone threats are no longer confined to distant battlefields – they are reaching Europe. Russia’s war against Ukraine and the recent Iranian drone attack on a British air base in Cyprus show how rapidly Europe’s security environment has deteriorated.

Ahead of tonight’s European Parliament debates and tomorrow’s votes on flagship European defence projects and on tackling barriers to the single market for defence, EPP Group MEPs are calling for new action to strengthen Europe’s defence.

Protecting cities, critical infrastructure and armed forces from drones, cruise missiles and ballistic threats must become a central element of Europe’s security strategy. 

Achieving this requires much closer European cooperation. Fragmented markets and national procurement barriers still slow down the development and production of key defence capabilities. Strengthening the European defence market, expanding joint procurement and launching common defence projects are essential to build the air and missile defence systems Europe urgently needs.

"We cannot defend Europe with a fragmented, uncoordinated, slow and ineffective defence market," said Hélder Sousa Silva MEP, who led negotiations for the EPP Group on the report on tackling barriers to the single market for defence. 

"We need real European cooperation in defence procurement. This must respect Member States’ sovereignty while ensuring that all national defence industries remain connected to the broader European defence efforts. Given its battlefield experience, Ukraine should also become an integral part of the single market, through industrial partnerships, participation in joint procurement and constant collaboration between European and Ukrainian defence industries," Sousa Silva said.

"We must strengthen the EU’s eastern borders against hybrid, cyber, maritime, and conventional threats by better integrating air defence, electronic warfare, surveillance and maritime security systems. Closing these capability gaps is essential to protect our citizens and the infrastructure our states depend on," said Riho Terras MEP, EPP Group negotiator on the flagship European defence projects.

"Projects such as the European Drone Defence Initiative and the Eastern Flank Watch are more necessary than ever. At the same time, Europe must speed up innovation cycles in the EU by linking research and development with production, and by deepening cooperation with Ukraine, including through the Drone Alliance," Terras added.

"The risk of a wider global conflict is no longer theoretical," said Andrzej Halicki MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair for Foreign Affairs. "We must dramatically increase our support for Ukraine to end the war on our continent. We must also invest massively in our defence industry, including by expanding the new EU defence financing mechanism SAFE and by creating a European nuclear umbrella to guarantee full protection for our citizens," Halicki stressed.