Participants met in Brussels on 21 October 2026. They included trade union and employer representatives from the defence sector and officials from three European Commission departments: DG DEFIS (defence industry and space), DG EMPL (employment) and DG GROW (industry). Stakeholders from the EU's Pact for Skills in defence and aerospace, the defence industry, the supply chain and NGOs also took part.

The event came at the right moment. Defence has become a key priority for the EU and Member States, so it is more important than ever to bring all stakeholders together to discuss the reality on the ground. Social partners often see a disconnect between policies and industrial reality, which makes it difficult to reach policy objectives. Involving social partners in policymaking from the start can prevent this and lead to policy proposals that support the sustainable development of the defence sector.

Speakers presented the concrete cases of Rheinmetall, Saab Finland and MBDA. These gave participants a better understanding of the obstacles and opportunities of the current ramp-up on the ground. It became clear that skills and labour shortages are a major bottleneck. The best way to overcome them is to make jobs in the defence sector more attractive, most notably through quality jobs in a cyclical sector. Social dialogue is key to supporting the major expansion of defence companies and bridging the skills gaps.

Isabelle Barthès, Deputy General Secretary of industriAll Europe, said:

"Decades of underinvestment have left their mark on Europe's defence industry and on how attractive it is for workers. You cannot fix that overnight by handing defence companies unlimited public money with no strings attached, or by exempting the sector from health and safety, labour or environmental law.

"Together with our members, we have been warning against this trend in European policymaking. Defence spending must be accountable, and workers need security in a sector that goes through boom and bust. Today's discussions showed that dual-use and skills are central to getting this right. A robust EDTIB needs a strong industrial system with its skilled workforce at the core. This includes the entire supply chain, from the chemical sector to semiconductors and electronics."

Delphine Rudelli, Director General of Ceemet, said:

"Social partners have a key role to play in ensuring that the defence and aerospace sectors have the skilled workforce they need to meet current and future challenges. Investing in upskilling and reskilling is essential, but we must also work closely with other sectors undergoing profound transformation to facilitate job-to-job transitions and attract workers with valuable transferable skills and experience, benefiting both workers and companies."

*'Skills4ADC+' is an EU-funded European project that brings together a broad consortium of partners, including industry leaders, small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, vocational education and training providers, clusters and social partners, all of whom are members of the Pact for Skills. It aims to tackle critical and emerging skills gaps in the aerospace and defence sectors and supports the development of forward-looking, inclusive and cross-sectoral upskilling and reskilling strategies.