Defense industry spends big on lobbying Brussels

BRUSSELS — Since war arrived on Europe’s doorstep in February 2022, defense companies have been making hay — by significantly increasing their presence in Brussels.

The lobbying budgets of the largest European defense companies surged around 40 percent between 2022 and 2023, a data investigation by POLITICO found. Most have expanded their Brussels-based teams over the past three years to meet the growing demand for influence in the capital of European Union power.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago sent shock waves through the continent — over both its ability to support Kyiv’s war effort, and its own resources should the bloc itself come under direct military threat. As traditional ally the United States reneges on support for Ukraine, the European Commission is searching for ways to drastically increase the EU’s own defense spending — and the industry is making sure it’s well-positioned to influence the EU policy agenda.

“We see an unprecedented interest driven by the stark reality of the security landscape,” said Line Tresselt, partner and group director of defense and security at Rud Pedersen, a public affairs consultancy that has been advising the defense sector for two decades.

Traditionally, national governments are by far the largest military spenders — meaning it made sense to focus lobby efforts there.

At stake is an old-fashioned battle over money: European arms-makers want to ensure EU cash goes to local companies, while foreign contractors also want a slice of the pie. 

“It’s more than a response to the full-scale invasion in Ukraine: with EDIP [the €1.5 billion European Defence Industry Programme], but also the European Defense Fund, the upcoming EU defense white paper, the newly appointed defense commissioner, coupled with NATO’s evolving posture … there’s a massive increase of EU-made policies for the sector,” said Tresselt.  

Everyone wants a piece

The top 10 EU defense firms — Airbus, Leonardo, Thales, Rheinmetall, Naval, Saab, Safran, KNDS Deutschland, Dassault and Fincantieri — have to declare their lobbying efforts in the EU Transparency Register when they lobby in member countries. Archives from the NGO-driven database LobbyFacts also allow a comparison with previous entries from early 2022 and early 2023.

In 2022, cumulative spending for the top 10 ranged between €3.95 million and €5.1 million; by 2023, that figure had risen to between €5.5 million and €6.7 million. Working off the lower ends of the brackets, that would equate to a 40 percent increase in just one year.

The trend is particularly evident with Swedish defense giant Saab, which doubled its spending — followed by Airbus and Dassault, both of which significantly ramped up their lobbying efforts.

Alongside increasing budgets, the majority of these companies have bolstered their teams. In 2024, 90 percent of the firms surveyed reported hiring additional full-time staff to represent their interests in Brussels. Thales led the charge, expanding its lobbying team from 3.5 to 10 employees. Leonardo followed by growing its team from three to five employees.

Companies once focused on national markets like Germany and Poland, due to the U.S. military presence there, are now establishing a foothold in Brussels too, added Tresselt.

U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, for example, signed on the EU lobbying register for the first time last May, and has already deployed two lobbyists to the European Parliament. Meanwhile, U.S. aerospace firm RTX has two full-time lobbyists and four external representatives advancing its interests in Brussels.

Big appetite

Donald Trump has added another element of uncertainty to European defense. Countries don't know whether to appeal to the transactional U.S. president by buying more American weapons, or shift to European arms independent of U.S. influence. Regardless, both options mean work for defense lobbyists.

Brussels-based consultancies are racing to meet the increased demand. Tresselt said that Rud Pedersen has expanded its practice, driven by an influx of IT companies entering the defense market.

“Banks and investment funds, which historically saw reputational risk in entering defense, also seek specialized advice now,” said Jean-Marc Vesco, CEO of C&V Consulting, a consultancy dedicated to the defense sector. He added that the growing demand led to his company doubling in size.

In terms of consulting firms, Brussels’ lobbying scene remains largely dominated by a handful of established players.

Only Forward and Logos Public Affairs — working with Airbus — and trade associations EUTOP Europe and Euralia are listed in the EU register as the lobbyists that the top EU defense companies rely on. But the picture is incomplete, since companies don’t always disclose who they’re working with.

“The new entrants [to the defense industry consultancy market] are still adjusting, but for the time being, we’re still dealing with historical players,” said Vesco. “We know that some of our employees may be courted by the competition, but we believe our commitment to EU values is what keeps us competitive. We’re not selling socks or cans of Coca-Cola.”