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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Speaking notes by Commissioner Kubilius in the structured dialogue with the European Parliament ITRE Committee Brussels, 20 April 2026 Honourable Members, This is a very timely dialogue. We are living in a very rapidly changing geopolitical environment, with new threats and challenges coming each day. That is what demands from us both urgent actions and long term ...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Speaking notes by Commissioner Kubilius in the structured dialogue with the European Parliament ITRE Committee Brussels, 20 April 2026 Honourable Members, This is a very timely dialogue. We are living in a very rapidly changing geopolitical environment, with new threats and challenges coming each day. That is what demands from us both urgent actions and long term strategic decisions. First of all, publicly available numbers show what a big challenge we have in front of us - Russia is still outproducing us. Last year annual production of cruise missiles: Russia - 1100; EU - 300; annual production of ballistic missiles: Russia - 900; EU - 0; annual production of artillery ammunition: Russia - 4 mln; European Union - 2 mln; annual production of infantry vehicles: Russia - 3.500; European Union - 500; etc. If we really want to deter Russia, we need to outproduce Russia! While I am visiting different industries during our “missile tour”, I am getting a lot of very practical information, what are the obstacles for industries to scale-up, like lack of long term contracts and visibility, which depends on Member States, but also the well known problems with bureaucracy, which sometimes is difficult to explain why we still have them not resolved. That is why first of all I would like to say few words about Defence Readiness (Simplification) Omnibus. You in this committee are playing an essential role in the negotiations on the defence readiness omnibus. I will repeat what I said in the SEDE committee last week: We need a swift agreement on the Defence Readiness Omnibus. We cannot afford to slow it down or water it down. We are asking industry to speed up. We must ourselves also step up. It's impossible to understand how in those turbulent times, in some countries defence industries still need to wait for four years just to get a permit for expansion of their production lines; Or to spend months in the customs of two neighbouring EU Member States, in order to get a license for inter-EU transfer for the established co-produced defence products and their components. We need this Omnibus immediately if we really want our defence industries to outproduce Russia. And to deter Russia! From another side we need to understand that our transatlantic partners are strategically planning to diminish their role in conventional defence of Europe down to secondary role. The primary role and responsibility for European security becoming European. That is why, our strategic goal is - to become less dependent on American Strategic Enablers, which are used at the moment for defence of Europe. For time being, we are heavily dependent on American space intelligence data, secure satellite communication, military cloud, C2 capabilities, heavy air lift, air refueling and similar important services. All what is called Strategic Enablers. What should be our answer to this material challenge? The answer is very simple. We need to develop and build them or to procure them. Without delay. That is why our Space programs are becoming crucially important. To start with we need to move forward on the European Space Act. To protect our space assets from the exponential increase in space debris. Creating the right conditions for a single market for space. Dear Elena Donazzan, I thank you and the entire Committee for your draft report. You are all strong supporters of a competitive, innovative and resilient space ecosystem. I look forward to continuing our excellent cooperation on this file to improve and streamline the text. You have strong foundations for the upcoming legislative procedure with the Council. Looking into the longer term future of our defence and space policies, our most significant outstanding proposal, of course, is the European Competitiveness Fund for the next MFF, the most important financial instrument till 2035. So I am very much looking forward to your draft report. In the upcoming negotiations I urge you to stand fast on space and defence. Because of the challenges we are facing. Accept no dilution, no compromise. 131 billion is the absolute bottom line. So it's great that the European Parliament BUDG committee proposed an increase of the ECF budget with 30 billion euro. A bigger budget for defence, this massive financial firepower is needed to incentivise Member States to spend better, together and European. Otherwise, there is a clear risk that increased national defence investment will not address the shortcomings of our European defence sector. But instead, will risk aggravating fragmentation along national lines. And we need to use our EU budget to help the defence industry to adapt to the new environment and needs and accelerate its transformation. For space, the ECF is also the legal text outlining the scope of our space systems. Their services. Their governance, security and industrial policy. In Space, our number one goal is to maintain, expand and improve our space flagships: Galileo for navigation, Copernicus for Earth Observation and IRIS² for secure connectivity. Our EU space services need to adapt to new realities. And we are preparing new systems for dual civil/defence use. Such as a dedicated Earth Observation Governmental service, the LEO PNT and a new service to monitor Radio Frequency Interference. We also propose a more ambitious approach to accelerate access to space. To underpin technological leadership and space commercialisation. Both for Space and Defence we have in the ECF proposal a special focus on SMEs and Start-ups so crucial for innovation. The European Parliament has always insisted on supporting smaller players, because they are crucial part of supply chains. If they will not be able to scale up, big primes also will not scale up. That is why, we have designed the ECF to offer them better access to financing and support services. And finally our flexible ECF proposal allows us to expect the unexpected and react immediately and more forcefully to sudden challenges. And now let me announce our new proposals. First, AGILE. We present AGILE to fill a very special gap: supporting SMEs and start ups for super fast delivery of innovative defence technologies and bringing products to market. Responding to the most pressing needs identified by our armed forces. At the moment these delays are a massive problem for our defence and deterrence. AGILE is: Fast: through simplified processes and governance, delivering funding support in 4 months. Mission-driven : to answer operational urgent needs of Armed Forces. Affordable : focusing on low-cost products that can be produced at scale. AGILE's budget is limited to what's left in this MFF: €115 million euro. But with AGILE we have a full palette of defence funding instruments, so we can build on lessons learned for the next MFF. But to do that, we need a quick agreement to pilot AGILE. It needs to be operational by the start of 2027. I count on you and the Council to make it happen. Time is of the essence. In my view this file would qualify for a fast-track procedure. And a second new proposal: the EUSPA Regulation. Adopted on 7 April, it is a self-standing founding act for the Agency – independent of MFF cycles, as it is the case for other EU agencies. As you know, this change is necessary because EUSPA at the moment is tied to the current MFF. So the clock is ticking, The acronym EUSPA remains. But it has new meaning. It now stands for European Union Space Services Agency. To clearly focus the agency on the operational aspects of space systems. EUSPA will continue to do its work, and we may assign EUSPA new tasks. Subject to its readiness, tasks could be connected to Earth Observation, Secure Connectivity and Space Situational Awareness. But also to future Space activities: access to space, Space commercialisation and space economy, and technological sovereignty, research and innovation. The proposal also makes it possible to entrust EUSPA with tasks related to radio-frequency monitoring and support on cybersecurity matters. Most importantly, EUSPA will continue to ensure the security accreditation through the Security Accreditation Board (SAB). In short. the proposal provides a clear legal base and equips the Agency with the tools needed to deliver on our ambitious vision for space. ****** Finally, let me conclude on the European Space Shield. This year we will present our Communication on the European Space Shield: an umbrella of space capabilities for defence and governmental users. We are now discussing the details with Member States and industry. Dear friends, In this mandate we managed to achieve a lot. Somebody said that during the first year we did more for European defence than was done during the previous 10 years. Maybe. But the challenges ahead are much bigger than those we managed to overcome till now. And we cannot wait. So, let us deliver together. SPEECH/26/851
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