Rising defence expenditure is no longer merely a response to a deteriorating security environment. It is increasingly becoming an element of industrial and economic policy, raising a key question: how can this spending be translated into the development of domestic capabilities, investment and economic growth, rather than being limited to the purchase of off-the-shelf equipment from abroad?
These issues will be discussed at the Łukasiewicz – ITECH Annual Conference “Security for Prosperity”, taking place on 14 October at the National Library in Warsaw.
One of the conference participants will be Konrad Szymański, former Minister for European Affairs and a long-serving Member of the European Parliament, who will take part in the panel “Defence Spending & Economic Growth”.
The discussion will explore, among other issues, the conditions under which defence spending can provide a genuine stimulus to economic growth, and when it may instead risk fuelling a debt spiral. It will also address the political dynamics within the European Union as Member States strengthen their military capabilities in line with declared commitments, as well as the implications of this process for the Single Market. Another important topic will be the role of European instruments such as PESCO and SAFE in consolidating the defence industry and advancing technological standardisation, alongside the question of how to sustain public support for high levels of defence spending amid growing pressure on public finances.
Konrad Szymański’s perspective, shaped by many years of experience in European politics, will be particularly valuable in the discussion on how to more effectively reconcile security objectives with political and social stability across the European Union.