In August 2026, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission published a Policy Brief on 'Territories: Competitiveness, defence and preparedness', presenting insights from the exploratory research activity Regions Dual-use Open Strategic Autonomy (REGDUALOSA).

Dual-use industrial hubs drive regional economic complexity and quality employment, yet territories, in particular peripheral ones, face shared vulnerabilities: an absence of system integrators, human-capital shortages, restricted SME access to the defence market, and weak mechanisms linking civil innovation to defence planning. Conversely, whole-of-government coordination, a whole-of-society approach, clusters, shared testing infrastructures, regulatory experimentation and venture capital prove to be factors of success in the cases analysed.

The recommendations underline the value of a dual-use lens in territorial strategies, territorial industrial policy portfolios and cross-regional cooperation. Positioning territorial preparedness as a strategic lever for European resilience and sustainable competitiveness, the brief argues that the forthcoming MFF (2028–2034) should enable regional and national actors to mobilise these ecosystems through improved funding access, simplification and a strengthened human capital.

Find the abstract and the full Policy Brief here.