Schilde’s Research Informs Debate on EU Defense Strategy Under SAFE Initiative
A recent analysis for Emerging Europe, an editorial platform by Reinvantage, of the European Union’s €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative highlights both the urgency and the complexity of strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities amid rising geopolitical threats. In this analysis, the author referred to Dr. Kaija Schilde’s testimony before the European parliament in June 2025, where she noted that 78 percent of European procurement contracts since 2022 had been awarded to suppliers outside the EU, most of them based in the United States.
The analysis notes that while the program aims to boost joint procurement and reduce dependence on external suppliers, it has faced political resistance; from Poland’s initial veto to broader concerns about long-term debt burdens and restrictions on non-EU participation. Central to these debates is the policy requiring that at least 65 percent of defense procurement originate within Europe, a provision designed to build internal capacity but one that has also strained relations with partners such as the US and the United Kingdom.
In her testimony before the European Parliament, Schilde emphasized that Europe’s reliance on external suppliers undermines long-term strategic autonomy. Her research argued that sustainable defense capacity requires regulatory incentives, such as SAFE’s European content requirement, to encourage domestic production and private-sector investment. By demonstrating that defense firms respond more strongly to regulatory certainty than to short-term spending increases, Schilde’s contribution indicates a broader shift in how modern defense capabilities are built, through strategic policy design that aligns market incentives with long-term security goals.
The full analysis can be read here.
Kaija Schilde is the associate dean of studies and associate professor of international relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies. She is also the Jean Monnet Chair in European Security and Defense at Boston University. Her research and teaching focus on the political economy of security, with a particular emphasis on defense industry politics and the political development of the European Union. As the Jean Monnet Chair, Schilde advances the Pardee School’s agenda of preparing students to meet the international challenges of the 21st century through a rigorous and sustained presentation of the EU as a global power with responsibilities over European security, international order, and global security. Learn more about Professor Schilde on her faculty profile.