Nela Riehl· Verts/ALE

Nuanced

Lack of cooperation in European defence costs taxpayers between EUR 18 billion and EUR 58 billion annually

Omissions

• The specific range cited in the primary EPRS study is €18-57 billion, not €18-58 billion as claimed (though this may reflect rounding or different study versions)
• The 'cost of non-Europe' refers specifically to inefficiencies from lack of cooperation, duplication, and missed economies of scale, not just 'lack of cooperation' broadly
• The upper bound varies slightly across sources: EPRS 2024 cites €57 billion, while other analyses cite similar figures

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) - Improving the quality of European defence spendingThe cost of non-Europe in defence spending is estimated to range from €18 to €57 billion per year
• AcademicJournal article - Restructuring the EU's defence industrial base amid geopolitical shifts (SAGE)Economies of scale could save EU defence firms between €18 and €57 billion annually – the so-called 'cost of non-Europe'