The plan, revealed by Politico and titled “Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030,” states that by 2030, Europe must have “a sufficiently strong defense posture, capable of reliably deterring its adversaries and responding to any act of aggression.”

The document, published by Politico and expected to be approved by the College of Commissioners on Thursday, will be discussed by EU leaders next week. It represents the Union’s first comprehensive strategy to strengthen its defense capabilities, shaped by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and uncertainty surrounding the future stance of the United States under President Donald Trump.

According to the draft, “a militarized Russia remains a persistent threat to European security in the foreseeable future.” Although member states’ defense budgets are increasing rapidly, most spending remains “primarily national, leading to fragmentation, higher costs, and a lack of interoperability.”

The Commission proposes that at least 40% of defense procurement be carried out through joint contracts by the end of 2027 (up from less than 20% today), while by 2028, 55% of supplies should come from European or Ukrainian companies, rising to 60% by 2030.

Nine Priorities and Three Flagship Projects

The plan identifies nine key priorities to address critical capability gaps:

• Air and missile defense
• Military mobility
• Artillery
• Artificial intelligence and cyber defense
• Missiles and ammunition
• Drones and anti-drone technologies
• Ground combat systems
• Naval assets
• Overall defense readiness

Additionally, it highlights three major programs the Commission aims to approve by year’s end:

1. Eastern Flank Watch – for integrated defense along the EU’s eastern borders.
2. European Air Shield – for a multi-layered European air defense network.
3. Defence Space Shield – to protect the Union’s space infrastructure.

The EU plans for all projects to begin in the first half of 2026, with full funding and contracts in place by the end of 2028.

Financial Dimension

The Commission estimates the EU could mobilize up to €800 billion for defense, using tools such as the €150 billion SAFE program (loans for armaments), the €1.5 billion European Defence Industrial Program, the European Defence Fund, and the next seven-year budget to be adopted in 2027.

The plan clarifies that member states remain sovereign over national defense, but urges closer cooperation to avoid inefficiencies caused by fragmented investments. Germany emphasized that the goal should be to “enable states to meet their national and international capability targets,” while Sweden called for metrics focused on “tangible results” rather than the use of specific instruments.

Coordination with NATO

The Commission stresses that the plan will be implemented in full coordination with NATO, to avoid creating parallel defense structures. It also acknowledges concerns from southern countries such as Italy and Spain, noting that “Europe cannot ignore threats from other regions of the world, such as the Middle East and Africa.”

The overarching goal, according to the document, is for the EU to achieve greater strategic autonomy in an increasingly uncertain world.
“The authoritarian states are increasingly seeking to interfere in our societies and economies,” the draft notes.
“Our traditional allies are shifting their priorities toward other parts of the world; Europe’s defense posture and capabilities must be ready for the battlefields of tomorrow.”