European arms production: A re-conceptualisation of the defence technological and industrial base, industrial policy and hybrid governance

The war in Ukraine has underlined the necessity to implement a defence industrial strategy as a means to be ready and support armed forces in case of war. However, such a policy requires managing stakes and issues at the appropriate perimeter and scale to deliver expected outcomes. The concept of the defence technological and industrial base (DTIB) reveals how, in Europe, national regulation frameworks can no longer be sufficient, due to limited resources, states use a restricted approach to the DTIB. The resulting limits created a window of opportunity for the European Commission to enlarge its competencies through a re-conceptualisation that aims to align the definition of the DTIB with current stakes and legitimise the EU role in implementing or supporting a defence industrial strategy. These evolving boundaries could favour a hybrid governance model combining national and EU stakeholders around a new conceptualisation of the DTIB at the European level.