The Armament Industry European Research Group (Ares Group) was created in 2016 by The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), who coordinates the Group.
France considers that the EU defence industrial toolbox must be built in complementarity between the various stakeholders, i.e., the European Commission, the European Defence Agency, the Member States, as well as with the EDTIB. France’s armament policy is integrated into the European framework, whether at the intergovernmental level or the community level, as France spearheads participation in PESCO and EDF projects . Nevertheless, France’s relations with the Commission are much more complex, even conflictual, than some European observers would think. For now, France has not considered the possibility that the European Commission could take the lead in crafting a European defence industrial policy capable of partly or even fully replace the policies formulated at the national level. Such a reflection should be conducted in the months and years ahead.
Author: Jean-Pierre Maulny, Deputy Director, Head of ARES Group, IRIS.
This text has originally been published on the IRIS website.
