Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001156/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Virginie Joron (PfE)
Rudy Priem, lobbyist for US arms giant Raytheon/RTX, which manufactures Patriot missiles[1], has slipped into European defence industry lobbying group ASD by way of an obscure Belgian outfit involving the organisation Agoria. The erstwhile promoter of the American F-35 now has an influence on Europe’s strategic decisions.
The La Lettre[2] newspaper reveals that Priem led the defence committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Brussels. The organisation is the largest US lobby in Brussels and opposes absolutely any project designed to improve European autonomy on defence. It is therefore a direct rival of the French defence industry and French jobs.
At a time when the Commission intends to take decisions on wars and our defence equipment for the future, it is important to know who is advising it, otherwise there is a risk that billions of euros from the European Defence Industry Programme will benefit US manufacturers rather than European industry.
- 1.Is the Commission aware of Rudy Priem’s links to the US defence industry?
- 2.What steps has the Commission taken to ensure he does not have access to confidential information and does not attend strategic meetings to determine the future of the European defence industry?
- 3.What procedures have been put in place for the early detection and combating of foreign interference which seeks to divert our public defence funds to benefit foreign interests?
Submitted: 19.3.2025
- [1] Rudy Priem is registered as RTX’s person in charge of EU relations. At the same time, he is Chair of the ASD’s Economic, Legal and Trade Commission – https://www.rtx.com/raytheon/what-we-do/integrated-air-and-missile-defense; https://amchameu.eu/file/rudy-priem-chair-amcham-eu-security-and-defence-committee; https://transparency-register.europa.eu/searchregister-or-update/organisation-detail_en?id=87564644126-75
- [2] https://www.lalettre.fr/fr/entreprises_defense-et-aeronautique/2025/03/18/un-americain-infiltre-au-coeur-du-lobby-europeen-de-la-defense%2C110388728-eve