A sector that did not used to lobby
In the second half of 2023, EU officials disclosed about 50 meetings per quarter on defence topics. By Q1 2025, that number hit 252. In Q1 2026, it reached 294 — with 85 unique organisations. The European defence lobby has gone from a niche presence in Brussels to one of the most active sectors in the Transparency Register.
The trigger is clear: the European Competitiveness Fund, which includes a dedicated programme for defence research and innovation, is currently in committee stage. The companies lobbying on this fund are the same companies that will receive its money.
Who is in the room
Airbus leads with 34 defence meetings in 2025, followed by the ASD trade association (24), Thales (19), Kongsberg (15), and Helsing (15). Rheinmetall had 12, Leonardo 11.
Helsing stands out: the Munich-based AI-defence startup declares a lobby budget under €50,000 yet secured 15 meetings — matching Kongsberg, a major Nordic defence contractor. Fraunhofer and CEA (both publicly-funded research organisations) met officials specifically about "the proposal for the European Competitiveness Fund regarding defense research and innovation." The line between lobbying for policy and lobbying for funding is invisible.
The conflict at the heart of it
Defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius met ammunition manufacturer Nammo about "European Defence Industry" in March 2026. His officials met Fraunhofer and CEA about the ECF defence research programme the same week. These organisations are simultaneously lobbying on the design of the fund and positioning themselves to receive its grants and contracts.
This is not illegal. But it is a pattern that deserves scrutiny: the companies writing the lobbying playbook for EU defence spending are the same companies that will benefit from it. GovLens tracks every disclosed meeting — follow the timeline from lobby meeting to legislative text to funding allocation.