Transatlantic Defense Industry

The Atlantic Council of the United States is working with U.S. and European defense industry, and other stakeholders to examine key policy issues in transatlantic defense trade. Ultimately, this project supports improved US-European bilateral defense industrial cooperation, and improved NATO military capability and interoperability among Allies. It offers practical solutions to those issues impacting transatlantic defense trade, bilateral defense cooperation and NATO military capabilities of concern to defense industry.

Current efforts include:

• The U.S. Defense Export Control Process: Issues and Solutions (7/13/07) — An Atlantic Council panel lifted the veil on the little-known U.S.-UK Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty that was signed by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair shortly before Blair left office this summer. The treaty is a unique agreement between the U.S. and the UK that will simplify defense trade and technology transfers between the two allies. The panel featured Dr. Jacques Gansler of the University of Maryland and Former Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Pierre Chao, director of the Defense Industrial Initiatives at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Al Volkman, Director of International Cooperation in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense on Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. [More]