EU Defence Industrial Investment Forum: A Key Step in Strengthening Defence Financing

This high-level event, the first of its kind, marked a significant step in facilitating dialogue between the Commission as well as defence industrial and financial sectors, advancing the objectives set out in the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS).

Brussels, November 27^th, 2024 – The Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), with the support of the European Defence Agency (EDA), hosted the inaugural EU Defence Industrial Investment Forum on the 27^th of November. This high-level event, the first of its kind, marked a significant step in facilitating dialogue between the Commission as well as defence industrial and financial sectors, advancing the objectives set out in the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS). 

The Forum gathered a diverse array of participants, including representatives from private and public European banks, insurance and pension funds, asset managers, credit rating agencies, private equity and venture capital funds, Member States’ representatives, and key stakeholders from the said sectors. DG DEFIS and the Directorate‑General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (DG FISMA), alongside the EDA, played a central role in driving discussions forward.

Setting the Stage for Enhanced Cooperation

The Forum's primary focus was to address the challenges of securing investments for the defence sector, paying particular attention to alignment with the EU’s sustainable investment framework. The agenda featured different panel discussions on topics ranging from banking and investor perspectives on financing defence priorities and challenges to navigating the ESG landscape in the defence industry.

The Forum addressed the question of the contribution of the defence sector to sustainability goals, emphasized the importance of overcoming widespread exclusion policies in the financial sector and identifying innovative solutions to stimulate private sector engagement, hinting at a series of follow-up actions aimed at sustaining the created momentum. The EU Defence Industrial Investment Forum underscored the vital role of investors in supporting the defence industry including innovation and paved the way for further discussion. By bringing together the financial sector and industry stakeholders, the initiative reaffirms the EU’s commitment to enhancing security, technological sovereignty, and sustainability across Member States.