Forty trade union representatives from across Europe gathered in Turin, Italy, for industriAll Europe’s Defence Network meeting from 20–22 October 2025. Hosted by Italian affiliates FIOM-CGIL, FIM-CISL and UILM at Leonardo’s premises in Caselle, the meeting focused on assessing the feasibility of the European Commission’s ambitious defence ramp-up plans against the realities on the ground in Europe’s Defence and Technological Industrial Base (EDTIB).
Participants called for a reality check before the EU moves ahead with its plans. They underlined that increasing production capacity in Europe’s defence industry will only be possible if it is supported by a coherent industrial strategy, strong social conditionality for funding, and respect for workers’ rights across the entire value chain.
A representative from the European Commission’s DG DEFIS joined the meeting remotely to present the new European Defence Readiness Roadmap 2023 and the Defence Omnibus initiative. In response, the network members highlighted the deep challenges of rebuilding the EDTIB after decades of underinvestment and fragmentation.
“The European Commission’s 2030 defence targets are certainly ambitious, but they cannot be achieved through blank cheques for companies or by rolling back workers’ rights,” said Isabelle Barthès, industriAll Europe’s Deputy General Secretary. “Europe needs a coordinated industrial policy for defence that ensures interoperability, builds resilience and supports long-term planning. Investment must go hand in hand with good jobs, social dialogue and fair distribution of profits.”
Participants stressed that expanding production capacity in the defence sector cannot happen overnight. Building new facilities, investing in modern equipment and recruiting and training workers take time and stable long-term commitments. They warned that meeting the EU’s targets would require quality jobs and attractive working conditions, not deregulation and precarious employment.
The network members also expressed doubts about the realism of the European Commission’s plan to reskill 200,000 workers by 2026 and 600,000 by 2030 for defence-related industries. They pointed out that the sectors on which the EDTIB depends, such as steel, semiconductors, electronics and chemicals, are themselves undergoing deep restructuring, with thousands of jobs at risk.
“You cannot build a strong defence industry on a weak industrial base,” concluded Isabelle Barthès. “Europe must support the entire value chain. From raw materials to advanced manufacturing, to make any ramp-up credible. And let’s be clear: defence readiness cannot come at the expense of social cohesion or workers’ protection. Undermining our social model would only weaken our collective security.”