Securing Europe: What should the EU prioritise to support its critical sectors?

Within the space of a few short weeks, the actions of the second Trump administration have shaken the foundations of Europe’s post-Cold War security framework, and have forced political leaders everywhere to confront a new definition of “realpolitik” in the 21st century. Given the White House’s approach to resolving conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, deploying trade tariffs against even its largest partners and allies, and withdrawing from key multilateral institutions and agreements, the EU finds itself at arguably the most significant crossroads in its history, and under enormous pressure to define the direction and purpose of its next steps.  

As highlighted in a major report in late 2024 by former Finnish president Sauli Niinistö, preparing for a multitude of cross-border threats and crises will imply an unprecedented 360-degree approach, bridging military and civilian domains while encompassing all pillars of government and society. Yet as Niinistö underlines, Europe can no longer afford endless debates about protocols and procedures – the severity of recent developments calls for urgent action and an immediate embedding of “preparedness-by-design” principles throughout key EU policies, instruments and programmes.  

Building on Niinistö’s recommendations, the ReArm Europe Plan and the recent White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030 outline EU-wide steps and financial means to close critical capability gaps and build a strong defence industrial base, addressing both the short-term urgency of supporting Ukraine, but also the pressing long-term need to boost Europe's security and defence. In parallel, the European Investment Bank is gearing up to become a major investor in defence and security industries, and the European Innovation Council has just been given the green light to support companies developing dual-use technologies.  
 
The worlds of industry and research have a pivotal role to play in shaping this new paradigm – as producers and suppliers of essential goods, as operators of critical infrastructure and services, and as developers of innovations, solutions and capabilities needed to tackle different threats. Each domain – from semiconductors, energy, transport and space to food, water and health – brings its own unique set of risks and complexities across the value chain, including access to materials, production capacity and stockpiling. And beyond the physical threats and challenges lie the digital equivalents, including cyber attacks on key infrastructures and institutions, data and IP theft.  

Against this backdrop, several key questions arise: What will define “secure” in Europe’s most important sectors in the short and medium term? How can science and technology help the EU and its member states achieve that goal? How will ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 translate in terms of research and innovation priorities and funding? From an implementation standpoint, how will the European Defence Fund and other instruments evolve? Looking at specific sectors, can the EU readiness and preparedness strategy provide a one-size-fits-all roof to address industry-specific security challenges? Finally, what are the critical actions needed to ensure the security of Europe’s R&I ecosystem itself?  

On June 12, Science|Business will convene members of its international Network, EU institutions and other key stakeholders from research, industry and governments to discuss these issues and more in a high-level public event.