The EU should prioritise the ability to detect, prevent and respond to malicious drone activity in European airspace while keeping public safety and aviation safety as the first consideration, the European Economic and Social Committee declared in its latest opinion.
The opinion was adopted at the EESC’s July plenary session and was drafted by Miroslav Hajnoš, the Committee announced on Tuesday.
Any future EU action on drones should preserve the operational integrity of the European Air Traffic Management system — the network of people, procedures and technology that keeps aircraft safely separated — the EESC said.
The Committee backed the European Commission’s EU Action Plan on Drone and Counter Drone Security, supporting measures to strengthen preparedness, detection and response, and to deter malicious drone use.
Measures should remain proportionate and consistent with fundamental rights, privacy, data protection, legal certainty and democratic accountability.
The EESC also called for clear coordination and division of roles between civil aviation authorities, law enforcement, the military and infrastructure operators.
It cautioned against transferring security or law-enforcement duties to Air Traffic Management personnel or other safety-critical staff, and called for an EU framework setting intervention thresholds and permissible counter-measures.
Drones in everyday services and security incidents
Drones are used across sectors including agriculture, logistics, infrastructure inspections, environmental protection and emergency services, the EESC said.
At the same time, drones can be misused and have been involved in incidents that threaten critical infrastructure, airports, energy networks and public spaces.
The EU must strengthen its drone and counter-drone capabilities to protect critical infrastructure and public security, Hajnoš stated.
The committee said EU action should also cover Europe’s competitiveness and “strategic resilience”, including reducing excessive dependence on technologies and components from third countries.
It called for investment in people and skills, including engineers, cybersecurity experts, AI specialists and drone operators, according to the opinion.
In February 2026, the European Commission unveiled an EU Action Plan on Drone and Counter Drone Security focused on civilian internal security and stronger civil-military cooperation, the EESC noted.
The Commission plan is structured around four pillars — prepare, detect, respond and strengthen.
