With the 2026 Munich Security Conference taking place on Friday, 13, and Europe's ongoing efforts to produce ammunition and achieve defence industrial autonomy, its gun industry takes centre stage.
EU leaders are set to debate the need for permanent, Europe-based production of essential weapons and munitions. But a production increase brings new risks. Exporting firearms in the bloc involves a complex interplay between EU-wide rules and sovereign national regulations, creating loopholes that raise security doubts.
