New Opportunities for Turkish Defense Companies in the EU Market

As the European Union takes new steps to modernize its defense industry, new opportunities are emerging for Turkish defense industry companies. According to reports, a significant change has been decided in the negotiations within the framework of the European Defense Investment Plan (EDIP). This change opens the door for cooperation with EU member countries on joint arms production and procurement.

Strategic Shift from France
Initially, financial resources were to be provided only to EU member states, but France's flexibility has expanded them for use by countries outside the Union. In this context, a consensus was reached in technical talks held in Brussels to allocate 35% of the EU budget for the procurement of defense products from outside the Union. This proposal, prepared by Hungary, gained acceptance with the support of France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Strategic Advantage for Turkey
Jens Bastian, an expert from the Berlin-based Center for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS), noted that France's shift in position on this matter is a significant development. With this new regulation, countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Turkey will have the opportunity to participate in Europe’s common defense projects. While Bastian pointed out that companies from these four countries could also participate in such tenders, he emphasized that a final political agreement has not yet been reached.