Defence sector lobbying within the European Union (EU) has experienced a significant surge in pressure on Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in 2025, reflecting Europe’s growing focus on bolstering its security and military capabilities. This increase in lobbying activity highlights both the strategic importance of defence policy in the EU and the challenges of transparency surrounding industry influence.
Rising Defence Lobbying in the EU
The European Union’s renewed emphasis on defence and security, especially following Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, has catalyzed a remarkable rise in lobbying efforts by defence firms, consultancy groups, and trade associations. Between June 2024 and mid-2025, lobbyists arranged 197 meetings with EU policymakers a stark contrast to just 78 during the entire prior five-year period. This trend illustrates the growing priority of defence within EU institutions and the intensifying efforts by the defence industry to shape policy and secure funding streams.
Scale and Impact of Lobbying Activity
The scale of defence lobbying is substantial, with leading defence companies and associations dramatically increasing their presence in Brussels. German MEPs have been the most active, engaging in 55 meetings with lobbyists, followed by members from Bulgaria, Spain, Finland, Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Latvia.
Key industry players such as RTX, a major U.S.-based aerospace and defence manufacturer, and the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) which represents 23 national associations and 26 European corporations like Airbus, Leonardo, Thales, and Rheinmetall have intensified their lobbying activities. ASD alone has increased its meetings with MEPs from two in the previous mandate to twelve within the last year. In 2023, these groups collectively spent millions of euros on lobbying efforts, with Airbus spending nearly €2 million and employing twelve lobbyists.
Policy Context: EU Defence Priorities and Funding
The EU’s defence agenda, driven by geopolitical instability and the war in Ukraine, includes significant initiatives such as the European Defence Industrial Production (EDIP) and the €800 billion Defence Readiness 2030 programme. These plans aim to enhance European military production capabilities and close critical operational gaps. Consequently, these initiatives present lucrative opportunities for defence contractors, prompting aggressive lobbying to influence program implementation and regulatory frameworks.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized an estimated additional €500 billion in defence investments as necessary over the coming decade, underscoring the urgency and scale of defence spending. This climate has made the EU a fertile ground for the defence sector’s lobbying campaigns as firms seek to directly impact policymaking and procurement decisions.
Lobbying Practices and Transparency Challenges
Despite requirements for MEPs to disclose meetings with lobbyists, transparency challenges persist. Although updated rules in September 2023 mandated all MEPs and their assistants to publish details of every scheduled lobby meeting, enforcement remains inconsistent. Approximately 90 MEPs especially from far-right and hard-right factions have not declared any meetings, indicating potential loopholes or non-compliance.
Transparency International warns that while defence lobbying disclosures have increased due to stricter rules, informal or undisclosed meetings may continue to influence policymaking behind the scenes. This opaque dynamic raises concerns about fair representation and the risk of undue corporate influence skewing EU defence policies toward industry interests rather than broader public good.
The Broader Implications of Defence Lobbying
The intensified lobbying activity in the EU defence sector has wider implications for governance and democratic accountability. As lobbying budgets grow a 34% increase reported among the top seven defence companies between 2022 and 2023 there is a heightened risk of corporate capture of policymaking. Defence contractors, through well-resourced lobbying, may shape regulations, procurement decisions, and funding priorities in ways that maximize their commercial interests, potentially overshadowing strategic and ethical considerations in European defence policy.
MEPs, tasked with balancing national and EU-wide strategic interests, face the challenge of navigating these pressures while maintaining transparency and serving constituent interests. The recent surge in defence lobbying reflects not only market dynamics but also the evolving role of the EU as it seeks to assert greater autonomy and resilience in security and defence.
Defence sector lobbying in the European Union has intensified notably in 2025 amid escalating geopolitical tensions and ambitious EU security initiatives. This rise in lobbying activity, characterized by increased meetings and expanding budgets, underscores the growing influence of defence firms and associations on EU defence policies. However, persistent transparency challenges complicate the ability to monitor and regulate these interactions effectively, raising concerns about accountability and the primacy of public interest.
Balancing the legitimate security needs of the EU with robust transparency and governance frameworks will be essential to ensure that defence policies reflect democratic values and strategic imperatives rather than disproportionate corporate influence.
