Inside IPC: Europe is Racing to Build Defense Autonomy with Alison James

EMS@C-LEVEL · 2 Apr 2025 · 11m

What this episode covers

Alison James, Senior Director Europe, Government Relations at IPC, discusses a 'sea change' in European defense policy, driven by modified EU debt ceiling rules that create fiscal space for increased defense spending. She highlights IPC's recent report, developed with French consultancy Décision, which projects electronics will comprise 25% of defense system value by 2035, necessitating a 'minimum autonomy threshold' for the European electronics industrial base. James addresses the planning anxiety caused by US tariff uncertainty, noting that while European defense procurement is accelerating, businesses require regulatory certainty to adjust supply chains effectively. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the 'silicon system' beneath technologies like AI and maintaining strong coalitions across the European electronics ecosystem to advocate for technological sovereignty.

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