{"id":2113910,"date":"2026-08-27T06:25:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T03:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2113910"},"modified":"2026-08-27T06:25:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T03:25:17","slug":"which-eu-countries-invest-more-in-maritime-defence-and-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2113910","title":{"rendered":"Which EU countries invest more in maritime defence and why?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/00\/98\/1200x675_cmsv2_8432ce54-3946-501c-bb34-6c26c92996be-9890098.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920670-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920670\" data-cid=\"9889382\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920670-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/87\/38\/60\/189x106_cmsv2_c6006fde-eafc-52f5-9c3b-bad7e6d21d20-9873860.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A woman splashes water on her face at a public fountain on a hot day in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, as a heatwave affects much of the country.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Beyond heatstroke: 33 hidden conditions linked to extreme heat\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920749-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920749\" data-cid=\"9889885\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920749-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/98\/85\/189x106_cmsv2_9dab5a14-709a-593c-9d1e-4834011eaf88-9889885.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A glass &apos;light eye&apos; in the platform hall of Stuttgart&apos;s new train station.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Ecotech<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Will Stuttgart\u2019s naturally cooled train station make the city hotter?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920670-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920670\" data-cid=\"9889382\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920670-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/93\/82\/189x106_cmsv2_98b1200b-1ce0-5c96-bfe1-c4db4ee3bdbe-9889382.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The proposed new designed of 10-euro banknote is seen at the Euro banknote design proposals reveal event in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, July 23, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU GDP shares: Which countries are rising and which are falling?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920894-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920894\" data-cid=\"9890653\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920894-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/06\/53\/189x106_cmsv2_1bf2c980-5fc7-53c6-b795-e2df8ba8b81a-9890653.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama works at her studio in Tokyo, Wednesday 1 Aug, 2012. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Yayoi Kusama, Japan\u2019s iconic polka-dot artist, dies aged 97\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920784-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920784\" data-cid=\"9890127\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920784-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/87\/38\/60\/189x106_cmsv2_c6006fde-eafc-52f5-9c3b-bad7e6d21d20-9873860.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A woman splashes water on her face at a public fountain on a hot day in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, as a heatwave affects much of the country.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Beyond heatstroke: 33 hidden conditions linked to extreme heat\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920749-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920749\" data-cid=\"9889885\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920749-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/98\/85\/189x106_cmsv2_9dab5a14-709a-593c-9d1e-4834011eaf88-9889885.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A glass &apos;light eye&apos; in the platform hall of Stuttgart&apos;s new train station.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Ecotech<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Will Stuttgart\u2019s naturally cooled train station make the city hotter?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          EU.XL<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Which EU countries invest more in maritime defence and why? <\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/00\/98\/1536x864_cmsv2_8432ce54-3946-501c-bb34-6c26c92996be-9890098.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"German war ship\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              German war ship<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspEvi Kiorri\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1787811917\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-08-27 08:25:17 +02:00\">27\/08\/2026 &#8211; 8:25 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span 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loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Europe&#8217;s naval rearmament is rising. Which countries drive the maritime defence boom and why the map may be misleading.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>Europe\u2019s militaries are pouring money into the sea. EU defence expenditure rose to \u20ac418 billion in 2025, a 20 percent increase from the previous year, and is projected to reach \u20ac454 billion in 2026, equivalent to 2.4 percent of GDP. Maritime defence is one of the fastest-growing sectors. Production of naval vehicles and equipment across the bloc has reached \u20ac117.8 billion since 2016, with output hitting \u20ac13.7 billion in 2025 alone. <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Who\u2019s building Europe\u2019s navies<\/h2>\n<p>On paper, four countries dominate that output. France, Germany, Italy and Spain account for 87 percent of the EU\u2019s maritime defence industrial base and captured 82 percent of its total output value last year. France alone produced 37 percent of the bloc\u2019s maritime defence vehicles in 2025, followed by Germany and Italy at 19 percent each, and Spain at 8 percent. Together, the four also account for 60 percent of the EU\u2019s total defence expenditure. <\/p>\n<p>For Christophe Tytgat, Secretary General of SEA Europe, the shipyards and maritime equipment association, that pattern is no accident: \u201cthe concentration is real and structural, not incidental,\u201d reflecting decades of naval-industrial history and geography concentrated in a handful of states. Submarines are also a growth area, now 27 percent of EU maritime defence output, with the same four countries producing 93 percent of the bloc\u2019s naval exports. <\/p>\n<h2>A skewed picture?<\/h2>\n<p>But industrial output isn\u2019t the same as military commitment, according to Chris Kremidas-Courtney, senior advisor at the European Policy Centre, who argues the four-country narrative overlooks some of Europe\u2019s most exposed navies. \u201cIndustrial concentration is not the same as maritime-defence commitment,\u201d they said, naming Greece and Sweden as \u201cconspicuous omissions.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Greece runs one of Europe\u2019s strongest conventional submarine fleets and maintains a demanding operational posture across the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea. Sweden\u2019s smaller navy is purpose-built for the Baltic and backed by a serious domestic defence industry. <\/p>\n<p>The real test, Kremidas-Courtney says, is integration rather than size. \u201cEurope doesn\u2019t need everyone to build a fleet to match Italy or France, but it does need credible distributed forces connected by interoperable systems and a shared maritime picture\u201d, an approach they argue must extend beyond the bloc to include the UK and Norway. <\/p>\n<p>Measured against GDP rather than raw output, the map zooms towards the east. Poland spends the largest share of any EU state on defence at 4.48 percent of GDP, ahead of Lithuania (4.00 percent), Latvia (3.73 percent) and Estonia (3.38 percent), all frontline states bordering Russia or its ally Belarus. Germany has more than doubled its share of GDP since 2021, from 1.27 percent to 2.14 percent, and aims to reach \u20ac162 billion in annual defence spending by 2029. <\/p>\n<p>Tytgat argues neither the industrial giants nor the frontline states can carry EU maritime security alone: \u201conly four EU countries cannot substitute for broad-based EU maritime security, because collective security strategy requires interoperable capability, resilient supply chains and genuine burden-sharing across the whole Union.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2>What\u2019s driving this spending<\/h2>\n<p>Behind all this spending is Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine and the maritime threats that followed. A \u201cshadow fleet\u201d of sanctioned tankers allegedly used for surveillance and sabotage has put the EU on alert. A series of undersea cable cuts in the Baltic Sea, including the BCS East-West Interlink, C-Lion1 and Estlink 2 incidents in late 2024, pushed Brussels to adopt a Cable Security Action Plan in 2025, alongside NATO\u2019s \u201cBaltic Sentry\u201d naval patrol mission. <\/p>\n<p>The EU revised its Maritime Security Strategy in 2023. The previous strategy was built with a focus on \u201cpiracy, illegal fishing, migration flows\u201d; the updated one is built to confront state-based threats, Tytgat explains. He also warns the current strategy lacks teeth: \u201cthe tools have multiplied, but the financing and governance architecture to actually translate the strategy into tangible action is still lacking.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2>How is the EU helping with funding?<\/h2>\n<p>A Commission subsea infrastructure package announced in February 2026 carries \u20ac347 million, alongside a separate \u20ac92 million ocean-observation initiative launched mid-2026. Tytgat calls both \u201ca first step,\u201d but says the sums are \u201cfar from enough if the EU wants to face the daily threats it deals with appropriately.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Brussels is trying to close that gap through other channels: the \u20ac150 billion SAFE loan facility under its \u201cReadiness 2030\u201d roadmap, the European Defence Fund, 68.4% of which has gone to France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and PESCO\u2019s joint shipbuilding projects, including the Italian-led European Patrol Corvette. <\/p>\n<p>In March 2026, the EU also launched an Industrial Maritime Strategy, folding shipbuilding into a bloc-wide industrial framework for the first time rather than leaving it to national champions and earmarked \u20ac325 million for naval and undersea defence projects. <\/p>\n<p>The real test for burden-sharing will be when the European Commission releases its progress report on the maritime strategy in October 2026. For now, Tytgat says the EU should focus on ensuring it has \u201cthe necessary tools and investment to meet the current challenges it faces in its vicinities but also in all global chokepoints that create threats to the EU&#8217;s security of supply, trade and economy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  EU pours billions into maritime defence as threats to its seas persist<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  EU sea defence: the new race to protect cables, pipelines and trade <\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Can an underwater attack disrupt the EU? Take our poll<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Military<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Russia<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Defence<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Commission<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Union<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920860-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920860\" data-cid=\"9890506\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920860-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/05\/06\/320x180_cmsv2_259beb96-4a2b-5534-8751-4ae9f73db488-9890506.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rescuers use an earthmover to carry a victim of flash flooding to safety along the Trishuli River in Nepal&apos;s Nuwakot district, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Niranjan Shr\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Around 1000 people missing in Tibet and Nepal after deadly floods<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920861-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920861\" data-cid=\"9890507\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920861-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/05\/07\/320x180_cmsv2_8387f716-e9ad-5417-83e3-316038d8d5ef-9890507.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A small boat sails past cargo ships and other commercial vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi\/ISNA vi\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    No military vessels will be allowed in the strait of Hormuz, Iran says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920749-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920749\" data-cid=\"9889885\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920749-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/98\/85\/320x180_cmsv2_9dab5a14-709a-593c-9d1e-4834011eaf88-9889885.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A glass &apos;light eye&apos; in the platform hall of Stuttgart&apos;s new train station.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Will Stuttgart\u2019s naturally cooled train station make the city hotter?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920670-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920670\" data-cid=\"9889382\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920670-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/93\/82\/320x180_cmsv2_98b1200b-1ce0-5c96-bfe1-c4db4ee3bdbe-9889382.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The proposed new designed of 10-euro banknote is seen at the Euro banknote design proposals reveal event in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, July 23, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU GDP shares: Which countries are rising and which are falling?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920894-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920894\" data-cid=\"9890653\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920894-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/06\/53\/320x180_cmsv2_1bf2c980-5fc7-53c6-b795-e2df8ba8b81a-9890653.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama works at her studio in Tokyo, Wednesday 1 Aug, 2012. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Yayoi Kusama, Japan\u2019s iconic polka-dot artist, dies aged 97<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920295-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920295\" data-cid=\"9889255\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Putin signs decree allowing state seizure of drone-hit businesses<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920528-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920528\" data-cid=\"9888725\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    French man detained in Italy after three Akeron missiles found in van<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920388-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920388\" data-cid=\"9888919\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Row over weight of half a loaf leaves German baker with \u20ac15,000 bill<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920328-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920328\" data-cid=\"9887542\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Conservatives, liberals call to freeze EU cash for Romania over mayor<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920471-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920471\" data-cid=\"9888332\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Just three European cities named among the top 10 for nightlife<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920860-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920860\" data-cid=\"9890506\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920860-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/05\/06\/320x180_cmsv2_259beb96-4a2b-5534-8751-4ae9f73db488-9890506.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rescuers use an earthmover to carry a victim of flash flooding to safety along the Trishuli River in Nepal&apos;s Nuwakot district, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Niranjan Shr\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Around 1000 people missing in Tibet and Nepal after deadly floods<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920861-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920861\" data-cid=\"9890507\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920861-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/05\/07\/320x180_cmsv2_8387f716-e9ad-5417-83e3-316038d8d5ef-9890507.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A small boat sails past cargo ships and other commercial vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi\/ISNA vi\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    No military vessels will be allowed in the strait of Hormuz, Iran says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920749-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920749\" data-cid=\"9889885\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920749-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/98\/85\/320x180_cmsv2_9dab5a14-709a-593c-9d1e-4834011eaf88-9889885.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A glass &apos;light eye&apos; in the platform hall of Stuttgart&apos;s new train station.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Will Stuttgart\u2019s naturally cooled train station make the city hotter?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920670-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920670\" data-cid=\"9889382\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920670-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/93\/82\/320x180_cmsv2_98b1200b-1ce0-5c96-bfe1-c4db4ee3bdbe-9889382.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The proposed new designed of 10-euro banknote is seen at the Euro banknote design proposals reveal event in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, July 23, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU GDP shares: Which countries are rising and which are falling?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920894-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920894\" data-cid=\"9890653\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920894-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/06\/53\/320x180_cmsv2_1bf2c980-5fc7-53c6-b795-e2df8ba8b81a-9890653.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama works at her studio in Tokyo, Wednesday 1 Aug, 2012. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Yayoi Kusama, Japan\u2019s iconic polka-dot artist, dies aged 97<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920295-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object 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class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Row over weight of half a loaf leaves German baker with \u20ac15,000 bill<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920328-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920328\" data-cid=\"9887542\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Conservatives, liberals call to freeze EU cash for Romania over mayor<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920471-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920471\" data-cid=\"9888332\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Just three European cities named among the top 10 for nightlife<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Europe\u2019s militaries are pouring money into the sea. EU defence expenditure rose to \u20ac418 billion in 2025, a 20 percent increase from the previous year, and is projected to reach \u20ac454 billion in 2026, equivalent to 2.4 percent\u00a0of GDP. Maritime defence is one of the fastest-growing sectors. Production of naval vehicles and equipment across the bloc has reached \u20ac117.8 billion since 2016, with output hitting \u20ac13.7 billion in 2025 alone.\u00a0Who\u2019s building Europe\u2019s navies\u00a0On paper, four countries dominate that output. France, Germany, Italy and Spain account for 87 percent\u00a0of the EU\u2019s maritime defence industrial base and captured 82 percent\u00a0of its total output value last year. France alone produced 37 percent\u00a0of the bloc\u2019s maritime defence vehicles in 2025, followed by Germany and Italy at 19 percent\u00a0each, and Spain at 8 percent. Together, the four also account for 60 percent\u00a0of the EU\u2019s total defence expenditure.\u00a0For Christophe Tytgat, Secretary General of SEA Europe, the shipyards and maritime equipment association, that pattern is no accident: \u201cthe concentration is real and structural, not incidental,\u201d reflecting decades of naval-industrial history and geography concentrated in a handful of states. Submarines are also a growth area, now 27 percent\u00a0of EU maritime defence output, with the same four countries producing 93 percent\u00a0of the bloc\u2019s naval exports.\u00a0A skewed picture?\u00a0But industrial output isn\u2019t the same as military commitment, according to Chris Kremidas-Courtney, senior advisor at the European Policy Centre, who argues the four-country narrative overlooks some of Europe\u2019s most exposed navies. \u201cIndustrial concentration is not the same as maritime-defence commitment,\u201d they said, naming Greece and Sweden as \u201cconspicuous omissions.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Greece runs one of Europe\u2019s strongest conventional submarine fleets and maintains a demanding operational posture across the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea. Sweden\u2019s smaller navy is purpose-built for the Baltic and backed by a serious domestic defence industry.\u00a0The real test, Kremidas-Courtney says, is integration rather than size. \u201cEurope doesn\u2019t need everyone to build a fleet to match Italy or France, but it does need credible distributed forces connected by interoperable systems and a shared maritime picture\u201d, an approach they argue must extend beyond the bloc to include the UK and Norway.\u00a0Measured against GDP rather than raw output, the map zooms towards the east. Poland spends the largest share of any EU state on defence at 4.48 percent\u00a0of GDP, ahead of Lithuania (4.00 percent), Latvia (3.73 percent) and Estonia (3.38 percent), all frontline states bordering Russia or its ally Belarus. Germany has more than doubled its share of GDP since 2021, from 1.27 percent\u00a0to 2.14 percent, and aims to reach \u20ac162 billion in annual defence spending by 2029.\u00a0\u00a0Tytgat argues neither the industrial giants nor the frontline states can carry EU maritime security alone: \u201conly four EU countries cannot substitute for broad-based EU maritime security, because collective security strategy requires interoperable capability, resilient supply chains and genuine burden-sharing across the whole Union.\u201d\u00a0What\u2019s driving this spending\u00a0Behind all this spending is Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine and the maritime threats that followed. A \u201cshadow fleet\u201d of sanctioned tankers allegedly used for surveillance and sabotage has put the EU on alert. A series of undersea cable cuts in the Baltic Sea, including the BCS East-West Interlink, C-Lion1 and Estlink 2 incidents in late 2024, pushed Brussels to adopt a Cable Security Action Plan in 2025, alongside NATO\u2019s \u201cBaltic Sentry\u201d naval patrol mission.\u00a0The EU revised its Maritime Security Strategy in 2023. The previous strategy was built with a focus on \u201cpiracy, illegal fishing, migration flows\u201d; the updated one is built to confront state-based threats, Tytgat explains. He also warns the current strategy lacks teeth: \u201cthe tools have multiplied, but the financing and governance architecture to actually translate the strategy into tangible action is still lacking.\u201d\u00a0How is the EU helping with funding?\u00a0A Commission subsea infrastructure package announced in February 2026 carries \u20ac347 million, alongside a separate \u20ac92 million ocean-observation initiative launched mid-2026. Tytgat calls both \u201ca first step,\u201d but says the sums are \u201cfar from enough if the EU wants to face the daily threats it deals with appropriately.\u201d\u00a0Brussels is trying to close that gap through other channels: the \u20ac150 billion SAFE loan facility under its \u201cReadiness 2030\u201d roadmap, the European Defence Fund, 68.4% of which has gone to France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and PESCO\u2019s joint shipbuilding projects, including the Italian-led European Patrol Corvette. \u00a0In March 2026, the EU also launched an Industrial Maritime Strategy, folding shipbuilding into a bloc-wide industrial framework for the first time rather than leaving it to national champions and earmarked \u20ac325 million for naval and undersea defence projects.\u00a0The real test for burden-sharing will be when the European Commission releases its progress report on the maritime strategy in October 2026. For now, Tytgat says the EU should focus on ensuring it has \u201cthe necessary tools and investment to meet the current challenges it faces in its vicinities but also in all global chokepoints that create threats to the EU&#8217;s security of supply, trade and economy.&#8221;\u00a0<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/08\/27\/which-eu-countries-invest-more-in-maritime-defence-and-why&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/00\/98\/1200x675_cmsv2_8432ce54-3946-501c-bb34-6c26c92996be-9890098.jpg&#8221;] Business EU GDP shares: Which countries are rising and which are falling? Culture news Yayoi Kusama, Japan\u2019s iconic polka-dot artist, dies aged 97 Health news Beyond heatstroke: 33 hidden conditions linked to extreme heat Ecotech Will Stuttgart\u2019s naturally cooled train station make the city hotter? 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