Security & Societal Resilience
Benelux Delegation Discusses European Defence Policy

AdobeStock

The NATO summit in Ankara had only just concluded, and a sense of relief swept through European expert circles: the unity of the Alliance appeared to have been secured. Yet one thing was clear: Europe’s security architecture continues to change at breakneck speed.

Against this backdrop, the Hanns Seidel Foundation brought together young leaders and security policy experts from the Benelux countries with experts in Germany. During a three-day dialogue programme, they met representatives of Bavarian politics and government ministries, drone manufacturers and academics. The focus was not solely on the broader geopolitical landscape. Participants also exchanged perspectives and insights on military innovation processes and Europe’s whole-of-society defence preparedness.

Discussed technological progress, cooperation between the defence industry, the military and universities, as well as strategic foresight: academics from the Technical University of Munich and the Bundeswehr’s Metis Institute.

HSS Europe

A dynamic ecosystem of armed forces, big companies, start-ups and universities

Munich was an ideal setting for these discussions. Uncertainty in transatlantic relations and the strategic challenges posed by Russia and China are compelling Germany and Europe to mobilise technological innovation in a targeted manner in order to remain competitive. 

Indeed, the Free State of Bavaria is one of Europe’s leading regions for research and development. The Greater Munich area is home to numerous companies in the defence, space and aviation sectors, as well as Germany’s largest drone cluster. Around one third of the value added by Germany’s defence industry is generated in Bavaria.

In recent years, a dynamic ecosystem has helped attract a large share of Germany’s investment in defence technology. Bavarian start-ups benefit considerably from a strong talent pool, driven in particular by the region’s leading universities.

Today’s military build-up is driven by software and unmanned systems: a background briefing at a drone manufacture.

HSS Europe

Close cooperation between industry and the armed forces is also facilitated by the high concentration of Bundeswehr officers and the long-standing US military presence in the region. Grafenwöhr is home to the largest US Army base outside the United States and the US Army’s training area in Europe. 

Controversial “civil clauses” (Zivilklauseln), which prohibit research for military purposes in some states of Germany, do not exist here. Instead, since 2024, a Bavarian Military Support Act has promoted civilian cooperation with the Bundeswehr.

More recently, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Bundeswehr University Munich (UniBw) established their own “Security and Defence Alliance”. Together with major industrial companies and start-ups, they are creating a strategic innovation hub. In 2026, the Bundeswehr also expanded its presence by establishing a new defence innovation centre. With the Munich Security Conference, the city is also host to the world’s largest gathering of heads of state and government, diplomats and security experts.

Defence readiness requires a "change of mindset" at the societal level

As Peter Wachler, a member of the Bavarian State Parliament, emphasised during the discussions, however, technology and defence spending alone do not create security. 

Security is also defined by a community’s ability to remain functional during a crisis – for example, when the fire fighters remain able to operate despite disruptions to electricity supplies, communications systems or access roads. Security threats such as cyberattacks also generally occur below the threshold of military conflict.

Defence policy is about more than camouflage: Peter Wachler, a member of the Bavarian State Parliament, emphasised the role of civil society and local communities.

HSS Europe

Defence and security policy also depend on democratic legitimacy and functioning local authorities, Wachler stressed. What matters is not only that citizens can rely on local office-holders and the state. Bavaria can currently draw on a strong network of volunteers – an important element of a culture in which people take responsibility for one another.

This is also an issue close to the heart of Helmut Dotzler, former commander of the Bundeswehr’s Bavarian State Command. While the general takes an essentially positive view of the implementation of Germany’s Zeitenwende – its historic shift in security and defence policy – he would like to see a more profound change in mindset at the societal level as well: defence should be understood as a responsibility shared by every individual. 

The lack of such an understanding is also contributing to considerable shortcomings in the recruitment of volunteers for the Bundeswehr – one of the key challenges alongside the still slow scaling-up of defence production.

Lessons learned in Bavaria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg

There was therefore considerable interest in the participants’ national perspectives. Luxembourg, for example, is using a range of initiatives to improve the preparedness of its civilian population and municipalities for national crises and emergencies.

In an era of hybrid warfare, the boundaries between internal and external security are becoming increasingly blurred: the Young Leaders from the Benelux countries exchanged views with representatives of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior.

Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern, für Sport und Integration

The Luxembourg participants reported on training and exercise programmes in schools focusing on mental health and first aid. In late 2025, “Lëtz prepare!” was established as a nationwide portal for citizens, public institutions and private companies. However, shortcomings remain at the level of civil society: while the population is well informed, Luxembourg, too, still faces difficulties when it comes to putting preparedness into practice.

Bavaria, however, is also adapting to the changing security environment. 

In discussions with representatives of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior, the delegation explored how internal and external security can no longer be clearly separated in an era of drones and cyberattacks. This often poses a greater challenge for Germany than for other countries: as a consequence of the experience of National Socialism, the country maintained a strict separation between the police and the military over the past decades – a principle that is now once again the subject of lively debate.

The Bavarian State Office for Civil Protection, established in 2026, likewise recognises that civil protection is no longer limited to natural disasters. Civil-military cooperation has therefore become an essential component of protecting critical infrastructure.