This paper situates dual-use technologies at the core of the EU’s security–competitiveness agenda, among intensifying great power competition.
It traces the shift from a defence-led to a civilian-led innovation model and argues that rapid civil–military convergence makes the binary dual-use terminology no longer sufficient, pointing toward an omni-use reality. The analysis identifies TRLs (technological readiness level) 4–6 as the maturation window where civil–defence knowledge transfer, certification/standardisation, and component re-use are most effective. Yet it also shows how funding gaps, programme fragmentation and lengthy procedures create a ‘valley of death’, especially for SMEs and start-ups who cannot benefit from accessing the market in the right time. Ultimately, the paper outlines the openness–security trade-off: supplementary national controls, transparency deficits, and risks of forum shopping are causing fragmentation. Policy priorities include deepening EDF (European Defence Fund) coordination, scaling spin-in/spin-off pathways and strengthening early TRL screening and item classification.
About the author:
Jennifer Kalushi currently serves as an author for Finabel.