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Written by Sebastian Clapp.

The United States (US) Defense Industrial Base (DIB) is the world’s largest, comprising over 60 000 companies and 1.17 million employees. It is dominated by five major corporations – Lockheed Martin, RTX, General Dynamics, Boeing and Northrop Grumman – which together account for around one third of US Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and half of the revenue of the top 100 defence companies in the world. While the DIB sustains US technological dominance, it faces challenges linked to market consolidation, supply chain resilience and workforce shortages. The 2023 Biden administration’s National Defense Industrial Strategy seeks to address these issues, among other things, through enhanced supply chain resilience, workforce development and flexible acquisition. However, experts expect vast changes, including for the DIB, in strategy under the new Trump administration’s national defence strategy that is currently being developed.

By contrast, the European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB) remains fragmented, and has been under-invested in for decades. In 2024, EU defence spending reached €343 billion, roughly 2.5 times less than the US level (around €864 billion in 2024), with a large part of procurement sourced from the US. The 2024 European defence industrial strategy and the European defence industry programme aim to strengthen European defence industrial sovereignty, promote collaborative procurement, and emphasise a ‘Buy European’ approach. The European Parliament supports close EU–US cooperation but insists that EU programmes must primarily reinforce the EDTIB and increase strategic autonomy.

Read the complete briefing on ‘United States Defense Industrial Base: How does it differ from the European defence technological and industrial base?‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

As Brussels readies its Digital Networks Act, experts warn against overreach and call for balance

The next meeting of the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 5 November 2025 from 9.00 - 12.30 and 14.30 - 18.30 and Thursday, 6 November 2025 from 9.00 - 12.30 in Brussels (room SPAAK 1A2).

Further information about the SEDE meeting can be found here.

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SEDE missions 2025:

• Djibouti - 27-29 October 2025
  
• Greenland - 15-19 September 2025
  
• Norway - 27-30 May 2025
• Moldova and Ukraine - 14-17 April 2025
  
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - 24-27 February 2025
• Israel and Palestine - 5-8 February 2025

SEDE missions 2024:

• United Kingdom - 28-30 October 2024
• Ukraine - 25-26 October 2024

SEDE Committee meetings' calendar 2025
EP calendar 2025
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Ministers warn EU plans risk fragmenting the CAP and pushing green goals out of reach

The Council extended restrictive measures individuals and groups associated with ISIL/Da'esh and Al-Qaeda for a further year, until 31 October 2026.

The Council today decided on its position for negotiations with the European Parliament regarding the provision of a further €500 million in macro-financial assistance (MFA) to Jordan.

A Tanács véglegesen jóváhagyta a kényszerengedélyezésről szóló rendeletet.

A Tanács módosító irányelvet fogadott el, amelynek célja, hogy hatékonyabbá tegye a munkavállalók képviseletét a nagy multinacionális vállalatoknál.

In Paris stehen zehn Personen wegen Cybermobbings gegen Frankreichs First Lady Brigitte Macron vor Gericht. Die Angeklagten verbreiteten böswillige Äusserungen über ihr Geschlecht und den Altersunterschied zu Präsident Emmanuel Macron.

"Hétfő délután végső búcsút vettünk Dráfi Mátyástól, Jászai Mari- és Kossuth-díjas színművésztől, akinek kiemelkedő munkásságát városunk Pro Urbe díjjal ismerte el. A Jókai Színházban tartott búcsúztatáson a közönség vastapssal kísérte utolsó útjára a színpad legendás művészét. Dráfi Mátyást a katolikus temetőben helyezték örök nyugalomra" – írta a komáromi városháza a Facebook-oldalán.

Chinese officials also sought to ease tensions between Beijing and Berlin on Monday, with a foreign ministry spokesperson stressing their “mutually beneficial” relationship

Ein Blick ins Familienleben der Royals: Harry, Meghan und ihre Kinder Archie und Lilibet verbringen einen herbstlichen Tag auf einer Kürbisfarm. Gemeinsam schnitzt die Familie Kürbisse und geniesst ihre Auszeit.

C’est une première place qui confirme la solidité des réserves algériennes. Selon le Conseil mondial de l’or (WGC), la Banque d’Algérie détient les plus importantes […]

L’article Réserve d’or n°1 en Afrique : combien de milliards de dollars valent les 173 T de l’Algérie est apparu en premier sur .

Am Strand von El Quisco in Chile kommt es zu einem wilden Aufeinandertreffen. Ein Rudel streunender Hunde versucht zwei Seelöwen vom Strandbereich zu vertreiben – ohne Erfolg.

Algérie Poste a officiellement annoncé que le concours national de recrutement se tiendra ce jeudi 30 octobre à 10h précises. Dans un communiqué publié sur […]

L’article Concours Algérie Poste 2025 : les dernières instructions avant l’épreuve en ligne est apparu en premier sur .

Die USA erhöhen den Druck auf Venezuela: Acht Kriegsschiffe patrouillieren in der Karibik gegen Drogenschmuggel. Zehn mutmassliche Schmuggelboote wurden seit August 2025 bereits zerstört, Beweise für den Drogenhandel liegen bislang aber nicht vor.

Am Samstag gibt ein Stromausfall auf der Schützenwiese zu reden. Betroffen war auch der VAR. Wie es trotzdem zum Penalty-Entscheid gekommen ist. Und welche Kult-Uhr ihr Comeback gegeben hat.

Auch in Zürich wird Halloween gefeiert. Telezüri hat sich unters Partyvolk gemischt – und Zappalot ist hellauf begeistert.

Concerns focus on the Commission's bid to add a NIS2 supplement into the EU Space Act

The findings come as the Brussels already rushing to spend hundreds of billions before the loan expires in 2026