Pistorius defends preference for German industry in defense spending
Protecting the domestic defence industry is a problem all EU countries are struggling with, according to the Defence Minister.
Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has defended the country's focus on its own defence industry, responding to criticism from MEP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann that it prioritizes domestic producers over European cooperation. Pistorius argued that all countries prioritize their own industries and that Germany is no exception.
The EU aims to increase joint defence procurement to at least 40% by 2030, but currently only 24% of the €115 billion spent by EU countries on military equipment in 2025 was allocated to joint purchases. The European Defence Agency and the EU's SAFE programme, with a budget of €150 billion, are working to encourage joint defence procurement.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
