On 25 April, SIPRI hosted a panel at the 11th Delphi Economic Forum on the topic ‘Dual-use Dilemmas: Balancing Innovation and Security’.
The panel focused on attempts by the European Union and its member states to facilitate the incorporation of civilian technologies into military equipment and encourage the development of technologies and systems that are dual-use ‘by design’. These efforts have accelerated since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent increases in European military spending. However, the opportunities and risks associated with this policy shift remain underexplored.
Dr Mark Bromley, Director of the SIPRI Dual–Use and Arms Trade Control Programme, moderated the panel discussion and Lauriane Héau, Researcher in the same programme, spoke on the panel.
The panel discussed the causes, content and consequences of Europe’s shift towards a dual-use approach to defence procurement. It assessed the extent to which the approach is likely to achieve its stated ambitions, examined the consequences that could follow, and explored how potential risks can be mitigated.
About the Delphi Economic Forum
The Delphi Economic Forum is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works closely with civil society, public organizations, businesses and individuals. It engages business, political, academic and other top experts to address emerging challenges, influence the national and regional agendas and promote sustainable and socially responsible growth policies for Greece, Europe, the wider eastern mediterranean and southeast Europe.