At a time when Europe’s defence industrial transformation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, the question of how individual Member States can contribute to, and benefit from, this collective effort has never been more pressing. On 17 March 2026, EUDIMA took part in a high-level roundtable discussion on “Strengthening Europe’s defence industrial ecosystem: security challenges and opportunities for Greek–Swedish cooperation,” organised jointly by the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) and the Embassy of Sweden in Athens. Held at ELIAMEP’s premises in Athens, this closed-door session marked the inaugural activity of the newly launched ELIAMEP Defence Hub, an initiative dedicated to advancing policy-oriented research and dialogue on the Greek and European defence and dual-use industry.
The discussion brought together representatives from government, industry, and the think-tank community, and featured contributions from H.E. Ambassador Erik Widman, Defence Export Coordinator at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and Magnus U Larsson, NATO & EU Business Development Director at Saab. The session was moderated by Dr. Elena Lazarou, Director General of ELIAMEP.
A European Framework Taking Shape
The roundtable took place against a backdrop of transformative developments in European defence policy. The European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), formally adopted by the Council in December 2025, is now entering its implementation phase with €1.5 billion in grants for the period 2025–2027. EDIP introduces several instruments of direct relevance to bilateral cooperation: common procurement actions, the Structure for European Armament Programme (SEAP), a legal structure for long-term armaments cooperation offering VAT exemptions and borrowing capacity, and European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs) with the possibility of up to 100 per cent EU funding. Capability Coalitions are currently forming across nine priority areas, and the roundtable examined how Greece and Sweden might position themselves within at least one of these.
The European Defence Fund (EDF) already provides a concrete link between Greek and Swedish industries. Both countries co-invest in EDF projects, including ACTUS on tactical drones and MARTE on next-generation main battle tanks. With the EDF’s 2026 Work Programme earmarking €1 billion for collaborative defence R&D across 31 call topics, the scope for deeper cooperation continues to expand.
Complementary Strengths, Not Competing Ones
A central theme of the discussion was the complementarity of the two countries’ defence industrial profiles. Sweden adopted its first-ever Defence Industry Strategy in June 2025, a document that makes explicit what was long implicit: that the defence industry is a security policy instrument, not merely a commercial sector. Built on the National Security Strategy and the Total Defence 2025–2030 Bill, the strategy prioritises innovation, production capacity, SME support, and international cooperation. As a newly integrated NATO member — having ended two centuries of military non-alignment in March 2024 — Sweden is also preparing to host NATO’s Joint Logistics Support Group Headquarters in Enköping, set to be operational by the end of 2027, coordinating logistics across NATO’s Northwest Area of Operations.
Greece, for its part, brings a rapidly growing defence industrial base underpinned by the most ambitious modernisation programme in its modern history. The €25 billion, twelve-year plan announced in April 2025 is transforming the Hellenic Armed Forces, with a focus on high-tech, networked capabilities spanning air defence, drones, naval modernisation, and next-generation soldier systems. Greece allocates over 3 per cent of GDP to defence, among the highest in the EU, and maintains one of the highest EDF participation rates relative to population, placing it within the core group of most active European defence industrial players.
Concrete Cooperation Opportunities
Participants identified several areas where Greek-Swedish cooperation could yield tangible results within the frameworks now being established at European level. Drones and counter-drone systems, ground combat technologies, and SME supply chain integration through EDIP’s FAST instrument were highlighted as particularly promising domains. The discussion also gave particular attention to the role of dual-use innovation and the challenge of supporting SMEs and start-ups operating at the intersection of defence and civilian technologies.
EUDIMA’s Engagement
EUDIMA’s CEO, Antonios Boumpas, delivered a substantive intervention during the roundtable, presenting data and analysis on the European defence industrial landscape and its implications for bilateral cooperation. Drawing on EUDIMA’s advisory work at the intersection of EU institutions, NATO, and the European defence industry, the intervention outlined the evolving EU framework, from EDF and EDIP to the emerging Capability Coalitions, and identified specific areas where Greek and Swedish entities can form consortia and position themselves in the EDIP work programmes now taking shape.
Maritime transport in the context of military mobility is another domain of especially strong convergence according to EUDIMA. Greece controls approximately 20 per cent of the global merchant fleet and 61 per cent of the EU fleet, positioned at the crossroads of the Balkans, the Black Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Sweden’s growing role as NATO’s northern logistics hub, through the Enköping headquarters, creates a natural axis between Greek maritime expertise and Nordic operational requirements. The potential for operational sealift capability, rapid deployment solutions, and dual-use maritime innovation was recognised as a distinctive area where the two countries’ strengths align.
The event reinforced EUDIMA’s understanding of the current dynamics in European defence industrial cooperation and the growing demand for structured bilateral engagement between EU Member States. For EUDIMA’s clients in the defence and dual-use sectors, these developments present concrete opportunities: the EU’s financial instruments and legal frameworks are now in place, and the window for positioning within the first EDIP work programmes is open.
Looking Ahead
The frameworks and instruments exist. What Europe needs now is the political will and industrial initiative to translate them into joint programmes, shared capabilities, and a genuinely integrated defence industrial base. The Athens roundtable demonstrated that Greece and Sweden, two countries with complementary profiles and a shared commitment to European security, are well placed to lead by example.
As the ELIAMEP Defence Hub takes shape with further activities planned in the coming months, and as EDIP’s work programmes and Capability Coalitions advance through 2026, EUDIMA will continue to track these developments closely and support its clients in navigating the opportunities they create.
EUDIMA extends its appreciation to ELIAMEP and the Embassy of Sweden in Athens for organising this timely and substantive exchange, and for their commitment to advancing the dialogue on European defence industrial cooperation.
