As European nations look to increase defense cooperation, France’s defense minister is acknowledging the continental defense industry is not strong enough to stand on its own without strong exports.
“We Europeans are extremely fragmented right now. So one day, if we were to produce just for ourselves without exporting anything, we would be faced with a stark reality — we wouldn’t have the capacities to do this,” Florence Parly, the French defense minister, said through a translator during an opening panel at the Munich Security Conference Friday.
Parly was responding to a question about weapon sales and what regulations go into them. Some European countries have raised concerns about weapon sales in recent months to countries involved in the conflict in Yemen. But Parly defended the French export policy, saying it follow strict rules — and that it is vital for industry. Read More
“We Europeans are extremely fragmented right now. So one day, if we were to produce just for ourselves without exporting anything, we would be faced with a stark reality — we wouldn’t have the capacities to do this,” Florence Parly, the French defense minister, said through a translator during an opening panel at the Munich Security Conference Friday.
Parly was responding to a question about weapon sales and what regulations go into them. Some European countries have raised concerns about weapon sales in recent months to countries involved in the conflict in Yemen. But Parly defended the French export policy, saying it follow strict rules — and that it is vital for industry. Read More