Europe is spending more on defence than ever before. Time to spend it smart.

Defence budgets across the continent have surged in recent years, marking a historic Zeitenwende in security policy. Yet a crucial question remains: how can billions in public spending be translated into real battlefield capabilities? What does it take to procure military equipment quickly, efficiently, and at scale—and what does research tell us about what works?

Moritz Schularick (Kiel Institute) and Rodrigo Carril (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Kiel Institute Fellow) present the latest Kiel Report No. 6: The biggest bang for the buck: Leveraging best practices in defence procurement for Europe’s rearmament, offering concrete, evidence-based lessons on how Europe can buy smarter, faster, and more effectively for its security.