The iconic Audi factory that wants to reopen to produce weapons

BrusselsThe former Audi factory in Brussels has gone from being one of the icons of European automotive power to representing the decline of the continent's automotive sector. At the height of its 76-year history, it employed more than 5,000 workers and produced millions of iconic cars such as the Beetle, the Golf, and the Audi A3. It wasn't until recent years that the factory began to lose its power and production gradually declined, until the Audi group decided to close it last February and move production to plants in China and Mexico. However, its useful life is far from over and may now once again become a symptom of the changing times of the automotive industry. great rearmament that Europe is experiencing.

Just days after the closure, the Belgian government is already working to convert it into a factory for military vehicles such as tanks and combat vehicles, saving nearly 3,000 lost jobs. "The Audi site is still empty and is ready to manufacture high-tech products. It would be a shame if the Ministry of Defense couldn't take advantage of it. [...] I firmly believe in this project," Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken told the press. Furthermore, the project already has at least one suitor, with the Belgian company John Cockerill publicly expressing interest. It is one of the most important companies in the Belgian steel sector and manufactures boilers, train locomotives, and other military equipment.

Thus, the former Audi factory in Brussels is expected to be the first European plant to be converted into a weapons factory in the midst of European rearmament, but everything indicates that it will not be the last nor an exceptional case. "I think we will see more cases in the coming years in, for example, France or Germany. Italy or Spain are also good candidates, and all countries that have a significant automotive industry," Rafael Loss, a researcher specializing in defense, security and technology at the ARA, told ARA. think tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).

In this sense, the expert points out that the case of the Audi factory is not "surprising" and that it "is part of a political and economic trend" that runs throughout Europe. In fact, Ursula von der Leyen's European Commission has announced a rearmament plan at the European Union level that aims to mobilize up to 800 billion euros over four years, and Germany and France have also presented multi-billion-dollar roadmaps to increase their military power. Furthermore, in the face of Donald Trump's return to the White House, NATO plans to increase the mandatory minimum for defense spending, requiring all allies to allocate at least 3% or 3.5% of their gross domestic product (GDP). This means that countries like Spain, which is at 1.28%, will be forced to substantially and hastily increase military spending.

For this reason, the researcher believes that, in this context and in the face of "increasing competition" from China and the United States, European partners may see the arms sector as a way to save their factories, especially those that manufacture heavy vehicles such as buses or trains. "In general, they already have the extensive infrastructure required by the war industry and, above all, they have the experience and knowledge of highly sophisticated technology to move on to manufacturing combat vehicles or tanks," Loss adds.

Win today, hunger tomorrow

The vast majority of European leaders defend that by applying the traditional economic policy known as military Keynesianism They will kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand, they will regain military autonomy, stop depending on the White House tenant, and be prepared for the threat posed by the expansionism of Vladimir Putin's regime. And, on the other, they will reindustrialize the continent and boost the European bloc's economic growth, which is currently at abysmal rates. However, the ECFR expert doubts that an increase in military spending like the one planned by the EU and its member states will actually be positive in the long term.

In this regard, Rafael Loss admits that a large injection of public money positively affects economic growth almost immediately and creates jobs. He also highlights that the military industry and innovation have made "exceptional contributions" to civil society and cites the invention of the internet as an example. However, he urges us not to lose sight of the fact that "over the years and in general, the efficiency coefficient of investments in other areas, such as education, infrastructure, or the green transition, is greater than that of military spending."