Die „Konsolidierung“ der Rüstungsbranche, also die Herausbildung eines Europäischen Militärisch-industriellen Komplexes, steht derzeit ganz oben auf der militärpolitischen To-Do-Liste. Wie schon sein Parteikollege Sigmar Gabriel (siehe IMI-Standpunkt 2014/056) betonte nun auch SPD-Wirtschafsminister Olaf Scholz, zu diesem Zweck müsse auf Fusions- und Übernahmeprozesse gedrängt werden: „Currently, more than 80 percent of military procurement and over 90 percent of research and technology activities are conducted at the national level. And our systems are fragmented: The EU uses 178 different weapon systems, compared to 30 in the US! […] We will need […] a common approach for military equipment, which will mean more cooperation and a process of consolidation in the European military industry, including mergers. We must support mergers not only under the leadership of our own national champions. So we will achieve a better integrated defence policy that would both provide internal security and turn the EU into a serious player within the global military architecture.” (jw)
