Asymmetrical Interdependence in EU-Defence Industrial Policy : Organised Defence-Industry Actors, EU Institutions and the Strengthening of European Defence Capability

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how organised defence-industry actors engage with EU defence-industrial policy and how the relationship between these actors and EU institutions is articulated in relation to the strengthening of European defence capability. The study is situated in the context of the growing political significance of EU defence-industrial policy, particularly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has intensified debates on industrial capacity, defence readiness, and European coordination. The thesis adopts a qualitative policy analysis with a descriptive and interpretive orientation. The empirical material consists of selected EU policy documents, publicly available industry documents, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis is guided by Multi-Level Governance and policy network theory, which together provide a framework for understanding both the institutional structure of the EU policy field and the role of organised actors within it. The study finds that the relationship between organised defence-industry actors and EU institutions is best understood as one of asymmetrical interdependence. EU institutions remain central in defining frameworks, instruments, and strategic priorities, while organised industry actors are positioned as legitimate and necessary participants in relation to implementation, industrial expertise, and production conditions. The study also shows that European defence capability is increasingly articulated through industrial policy language, particularly through concepts such as production capacity, resilience, continuity, and the strength of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base.