Insurance insists on buying European defence technology

O President of the Republic today insisted that the European Union (EU) should have autonomy in defence, choosing to buy technology internally, and suggested a consultation on aircraft models.

“ When, for example, it is said that aircraft must be purchased for our armed forces in Europe, well, Europe may also be worth agreeing on whether it is justified to have two or three different models of aircraft. The same is true of combat cars, the same is true of submarines,” said António José Seguro at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon.

The President of the Republic addressed the issue of EU autonomy in defence in an intervention at the 7th Lisbon Conference, an initiative of the Lisbon Club, on the day that the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, visits Portugal and will have meetings with the Prime Minister and the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs.

“ Our friends and American allies say that Europe has to take more care of its defense, to spend more of its defense, to defend itself”, said António José Seguro.

“I agree. But that means that Europe must agree and must have a coherent dimension for the development of that same defence perspective. Which means that you have to have your own technology, you have to develop markets that allow you to take advantage of this technology, which is a technology of dual use, of use for defence and security purposes and simultaneously for civil use, for the use of our economy,” he added.

The head of state pointed out “the drones, the drivers, the detectors” as “examples of how this application can happen”

“ This autonomy is essential so that our defence capacity does not depend on others, because it is not enough for Europe to spend more money on its defence if it is to buy technology outside Europe itself”, said António José Seguro, considering that this “is a simple truth, but that it needs to be remembered and remembered”.