Latest news with #ASD
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
How the way you WALK could reveal a hidden autism diagnosis – the 3 signs to look for in your child
AUTISM is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people socialise, communicate and interact with the world. Autistic people may find socialising confusing or tiring, become overwhelmed in loud or crowded places and crave order and routine. 2 Toe-walking, walking on tip toes or the balls of the feet, can be a characteristic of autism if it continues past early childhood Credit: Getty 2 Walking with feet turned in can be another one - though autism isn't the only cause of this Credit: Getty But the condition - which is not an illness or disease that needs to be 'cured' - can also affect how some people move or walk, researchers say. In fact, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) - a guide book widely used for diagnosing mental health conditions - lists an "odd gait" as supporting feature of autism. Nicole Rinehart, a Professor of clinical psychology and director of the neurodevelopment program at Monash University outlined three "noticeable gait differences" autistic people might have in These may include: Read more on autism Toe-walking, walking on the balls of the feet In-toeing, walking with one or both feet turned inwards Out-toeing, walking with one or both feet turned out Walking on the toes or the balls of the feet is fairly common in children who are just beginning to walk, until the age of three. Most will outgrow it the habit. If toe-walking doesn't correct itself over time, or begins suddenly, the NHS recommends children be assessed by a health professional for growth-growth related pain, neurodevelopmental disorders or autism. Most read in Health "Children with autism spectrum disorder or sensory integration issues will frequently toe walk as it feels more comfortable for them," the In and out-toeing are also fairly common and can simply be caused by the rotation of the thigh and shin bones, aside from autism. Simple 10-question test that can help determine if you have autism They don't usually need treatment and will go away on their own by the time a child is eight. The NHS advises parents to speak a GP about their children's gait if they're worried about it. Autism can cause other, more subtle changes to the way people walk, according to Prof Rinehart. She pointed to Walk more slowly Take wider steps Spend longer in the 'stance' phase, when the foot leaves the ground Take more time to complete each step "Autistic people show much more personal variability in the length and speed of their strides, as well as their walking speed," Prof Rinehart wrote. "Gait differences also tend to occur alongside other motor differences, such as issues with balance, coordination, postural stability and handwriting." She explained that gait differences in autistic people might be caused by "differences in brain development". What is autism? Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an incurable, lifelong developmental condition that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. It affects around one in 100 people in the UK and is three to four times more common in boys than in girls. Many people with ASD find it hard to understand other people's feelings and emotions, and they may have difficulty holding conversations. When they are young, their language development may take longer and they can struggle to use facial expressions, using gestures to communicate instead. They may also find it hard to connect with other people and to hold eye contact with unfamiliar individuals. Many children with ASD like to follow a routine, and changes to this can cause distress. High functioning autism is an informal term some people use to describe those on the autism spectrum disorder. Areas such as the basal ganglia - which is responsible for making walking effortless, smooth and automatic - and the cerebellum, which controls and coordinates movement, may develop differently in people with autism, the expert said. "While some researchers have suggested that autistic gait occurs due to delayed development, we now know gait differences persist across the lifespan. "Some differences actually become clearer with age." Some people with gait differences may also have more difficulties with language and cognition. In some cases, these signs can indicate that an autistic person is experiencing "sensory or cognitive overload" and might need some "extra support or a break" in that moment, the expert said. Do gait differences need to be treated? Differences in the way autistic people walk don't necessarily need to be treated, Prof Rinehart said. "Some autistic people might have subtle gait differences that are observable during testing," she wrote. "But if these differences don't impact a person's ability to participate in everyday life, they don't require support." But some may be at increased risk of falls, have difficulty participating in sports or other physical activities, or may get pain in their legs or back from the way they walk. In these cases, children may benefit from some additional support, whether that be from a clinic, at school, or in their local communities. "Our "Community-based support models empower autistic children to have agency in how they move, rather than seeing different ways of moving as a problem to be fixed." The key characteristics of autism - and why they go unnoticed By Alice Fuller , Health Features Editor MODEL Christine McGuinness was a 'recluse' for eight years and only left the house at 3am. Springwatch presenter And recently, But what exactly is autism and why does it seem so different in everyone? Leanne Cooper-Brown, neurodevelopmental lead at 'Whereas we used to think of autism as a linear line, we have come to realise that terms such as 'high' and 'low' functioning or definitions of 'mild', 'moderate' or 'severe' aren't helpful and can be misleading. 'Nowadays, we think of autism in terms of the strengths and needs of the individual, which can change over time depending on their environment and support network.' About 700,000 people in the UK are thought to have autism - that's one in 100. But research by University College London suggests that number could be twice as high, as many people remain undiagnosed. Cases are on the rise though. Figures released last year showed a 175 per cent increase from 2011 to 2022. Dr Selina Warlow, clinical psychologist and owner of 'Receiving a diagnosis can open access to expert resources that support autistic people to thrive in society.' Autism has long been associated with social difficulties, like problems maintaining conversations and forming relationships. But research published in the journal Cell Press suggested that repetitive behaviours - like rocking or finger-flicking - and special interests - whether it's TV shows or specific animals - are more indicative of an autism diagnosis. Generally though, experts say the Sensitivity - autistic people can be much more or less sensitive to sights, sounds, textures, tastes and smells. For example, they find bright lights or crowded spaces overwhelming, Leanne says. They may also stand too close to others or need to move their whole body to look at something. Stimming - to manage this sensory overload, some people use repetitive movements or sounds. 'This is called stimming, and includes rocking, tapping and hand-flapping,' Dr Warlow says. 'Though it's something everyone does to some extent, those with autism are likely to engage with it as a form of self-regulation.' Masking - this is a strategy used by some autistic people, consciously or not, to match neurotypical people, Dr Warlow says. 'It's a way of hiding your true characteristics, and could involve copying facial expressions, planning conversations in advance, or holding in 'stimming' - swapping hand clapping with playing with a pen, for example,' she adds. Burnout - this is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion and is a common feature in autism. 'Being extremely tired, both mentally and physically, can be associated with the act of masking for a long period of time, or sensory or social overload,' Dr Warlow says. 'Symptoms of autistic burnout include social withdrawal, reduced performance and increased sensitivity.' Social struggles - socialising can be confusing or tiring for autistic people. They often find it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling, making it challenging to make friends. Leanne says: 'In adults, autism may present as difficulties with interpreting social cues such as understanding body language or sarcasm, struggling to express emotions or preferring to be alone. This can impact relationships and work.' Routine - many of us have a fairly regular daily schedule. But for autistic people, this becomes a 'very strong preference for routine', Leanne says. This could be needing a daily timetable to know what is going to happen and when, or having rigid preferences about foods or clothing. Literal thinking - some autistic people have a literal view of language - like believing it's actually 'raining cats and dogs' or that someone really wants you to 'break a leg'. Dr Warlow says: 'This can result in confusion with figures of speech, irony or indirect requests. 'For instance, being told to 'pull your socks up' might be understood literally, not as a motivational phrase.' Hyperfocus - often associated with ADHD, hyperfocusing is also common in autistic people. 'It's where you're able to focus intensely on an activity and become absorbed to the point of forgetting about time,' Dr Warlow says. 'This is useful in work or hobbies but can result in neglect of other aspects of life, such as food or rest.' Special interests - we all have hobbies and interests, but for autistic people, these are so compelling they often want to spend all their time learning about, thinking about or doing them. 'Special interests could include anything from dinosaurs to superheroes, and gardening to music,' Dr Warlow says. 'These usually begin in childhood, but can also form as an adult. 'Chris Packham is an example of an autistic person who turned his childhood special interest in animals into a successful career, becoming one of the UK's best-loved natural world TV presenters.
Medscape
2 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
Four Distinct Autism Subtypes Identified
By leveraging a person-centered computational approach to phenotypic data from more than 5000 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), researchers have identified four biologically and clinically distinct subtypes of autism and their underlying genetic signals. These four subtypes are: Social and Behavioral Challenges, Mixed ASD with Developmental Delay, Moderate Challenges, and Broadly Affected. 'It's important for families to have groups where they can really understand how they belong and what kind of prognosis their child might have,' study investigator Olga Troyanskaya, PhD, professor of computer science, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, and deputy director for genomics, Center for Computational Biology, Simons Foundation Flatiron Institute, New York City, told Medscape Medical News . 'There's very different clinical presentations depending on these subtypes and if you know which subtype a child belongs to you — it's not yet full precision medicine — but you'd be able to make nontrivial predictions about the prognosis for these children,' she said. The study was published on July 9 in Nature Genetics . Unique Research Approach Patients with ASD exhibit overlapping social and neurocognitive impairment and considerable genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. However, a coherent mapping of genetic variation to phenotypes is lacking, despite the rising number of ASD diagnoses and hundreds of ASD-associated genes identified in recent years. Prior studies have either focused purely on clinical or genetic features in relatively small groups or tried to combine them in a trait-centered approach looking for genetic links to single traits, colead author Natalie Sauerwald, PhD, associate research scientist, Flatiron Institute, said in an interview. What's different here is the scale and use of a person-centered approach to identify 239 item-level and composite phenotype features in 5392 individuals in the nationwide SPARK cohort. Each feature was then assigned to one of seven phenotype categories defined in the literature (limited social communication, restricted and/or repetitive behavior, attention deficit, disruptive behavior, anxiety and/or mood symptoms, developmental delay, and self-injury) and a general finite mixture model was used to identify and validate the four latent classes. 'As far as we know, this is the first work that was able to combine this person-centered phenotype-first approach with some really surprising genetic findings that align extremely well with these phenotypic results,' Sauerwald said. Clear Clinical Potential The four subtypes differ not only in severity of autism symptoms but also in the degree to which co-occurring cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric concerns factor into their presentation, the researchers noted. Individuals in the Social and Behavioral Challenges class had greater difficulties across core autism categories of social communication and restricted and/or repetitive behaviors than other autistic children. Developmental delays were not reported but scores were higher for disruptive behavior, attention deficit, and anxiety. This was the largest group with 1976 persons, accounting for 37% of study participants. The Mixed ASD with Developmental Delays class was highly enriched in language delays, intellectual disability, and motor disorders compared with nonautistic siblings and children in other classes. The 1102 individuals in this group had some features enriched and some depleted with respect to repetitive behaviors and social challenges but had lower levels of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression. About 19% of participants fell into this class. Individuals in the Moderate Challenges class showed core autism-related behaviors but less strongly than those in other groups and usually reached developmental milestones at the same pace as nonautistic siblings. This group included 1860 persons or about 34% of participants. The Broadly Affected class showed significant levels of cognitive impairment, lower language ability, and much earlier ages at diagnosis than the two classes without substantial developmental delays. The group also had significant enrichment in almost all measured co-occurring conditions like ADHD, anxiety, and depression. This was the smallest group with just 554 individuals or about 10% of participants. 'Obviously, this is early and not ready to be rolled out in the clinic this second, but there is clear, immediate clinical potential for these subtypes and then being able to have support services tailored to that group,' Troyanskaya said. Genetic and Biologic Underpinnings Children in all four classes had a significant burden of common and rare genetic variants, but researchers found differing signals that defined each autism class. The Broadly Affected class was more likely to have high-impact de novo variants, whereas only the Mixed ASD with Developmental Delays group had a combination of high-impact de novo and rare inherited variants, suggesting a stronger inherited component for children in this group. The analysis of biological processes affected by high confidence de novo loss of function or damaging missense variations in each class revealed little overlap in the top enriched biological processes and no overlap in top molecular functions between all four classes. 'All of the biological connections were found deep within the framework of what the research has found as far as autism biology,' Troyanskaya said. 'But it's not as much of a spectrum as there is a pie of that biology that is divided between the four subgroups. It's like we are studying four different subtypes as opposed to one increasing severity condition.' The four subtypes also differed in terms of the genetic variants' effects on brain development. 'One very interesting finding regarding the Social and Behavior group that tends to display both high rates of social interaction deficits as well as high anxiety, depression, and ADHD, is that when we looked at which genes were impacted by these mutations, we found for this one group in particular the genes that are impacted are mostly activated after birth,' Aviya Litman, PhD, co-lead author and a PhD student at Princeton, said in an interview. Notably, children in this subtype rarely have developmental delays and are diagnosed the latest of all the subtypes. The finding that their genetic mutations affect them starting in infancy or childhood rather than during fetal stages closely aligns with both their clinical presentations and the phenotypes that were observed. 'If I had to pick a single finding other than the fact that these subtypes are so robust and different biologically, the single most surprising finding to me is this,' observed Troyanskaya. Validation and the Steps Ahead The four subtypes were replicated in 861 individuals in the Simon Simplex Collection (SCC), an autism cohort deeply phenotyped by trained clinicians whereas in SPARK the data were self-reported, Troyanskaya noted. The fraction of children with more severe disorders was also different between cohorts. Still, 'we were able to robustly verify this model in an independent SCC cohort,' she said. The researchers plan to look at differences by sex and race/ethnicity but said it also will be crucial to expand the cohort size and the quality and breadth of the phenotyping to capture the full diversity of the autism population more completely. While the current work identified four subtypes, 'there could be more,' Troyanskaya said. 'As we get a bigger cohort, there may be a finer gradation.' A lot of other autism papers claim their findings have clinical implications, but she said this research is further downstream and doesn't face technical challenges because it's phenotype-based classification and these phenotypes are already measured in individuals with autism. 'So you could, in principle, do this but of course a huge part of this is whether the community is looking to adopt it, the community is testing it clinically and understanding what it means for the next stages,' Troyanskaya said. Sauerwald added that it would be very straightforward for the team to build a tool that could predict a patient's autism subtype based on data entered by a clinician. 'That's something that could happen very quickly. Again, the technical component will not be the barrier but the widespread adoption and clinical people taking this forward.'
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
How the way you WALK could reveal a hidden autism diagnosis – the 3 signs to look for in your child
AUTISM is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people socialise, communicate and interact with the world. Autistic people may find socialising confusing or tiring, become overwhelmed in loud or crowded places and crave order and routine. 2 2 But the condition - which is not an illness or disease that needs to be 'cured' - can also affect how some people move or walk, researchers say. In fact, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) - a guide book widely used for diagnosing mental health conditions - lists an "odd gait" as supporting feature of autism. Nicole Rinehart, a Professor of clinical psychology and director of the neurodevelopment program at Monash University outlined three "noticeable gait differences" autistic people might have in The Conversation. These may include: Walking on the toes or the balls of the feet is fairly common in children who are just beginning to walk, until the age of three. Most will outgrow it the habit. If toe-walking doesn't correct itself over time, or begins suddenly, the NHS recommends children be assessed by a health professional for growth-growth related pain, neurodevelopmental disorders or autism. "Children with autism spectrum disorder or sensory integration issues will frequently toe walk as it feels more comfortable for them," the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust explains. In and out-toeing are also fairly common and can simply be caused by the rotation of the thigh and shin bones, aside from autism. Simple 10-question test that can help determine if you have autism They don't usually need treatment and will go away on their own by the time a child is eight. The NHS advises parents to speak a GP about their children's gait if they're worried about it. Autism can cause other, more subtle changes to the way people walk, according to Prof Rinehart. She pointed to 30-year study of autistic people, which found that some with the condition may: Walk more slowly Take wider steps Spend longer in the 'stance' phase, when the foot leaves the ground Take more time to complete each step "Autistic people show much more personal variability in the length and speed of their strides, as well as their walking speed," Prof Rinehart wrote. "Gait differences also tend to occur alongside other motor differences, such as issues with balance, coordination, postural stability and handwriting." She explained that gait differences in autistic people might be caused by "differences in brain development". What is autism? Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an incurable, lifelong developmental condition that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. It affects around one in 100 people in the UK and is three to four times more common in boys than in girls. Many people with ASD find it hard to understand other people's feelings and emotions, and they may have difficulty holding conversations. When they are young, their language development may take longer and they can struggle to use facial expressions, using gestures to communicate instead. They may also find it hard to connect with other people and to hold eye contact with unfamiliar individuals. Many children with ASD like to follow a routine, and changes to this can cause distress. High functioning autism is an informal term some people use to describe those on the autism spectrum disorder. Areas such as the basal ganglia - which is responsible for making walking effortless, smooth and automatic - and the cerebellum, which controls and coordinates movement, may develop differently in people with autism, the expert said. "While some researchers have suggested that autistic gait occurs due to delayed development, we now know gait differences persist across the lifespan. "Some differences actually become clearer with age." Some people with gait differences may also have more difficulties with language and cognition. In some cases, these signs can indicate that an autistic person is experiencing "sensory or cognitive overload" and might need some "extra support or a break" in that moment, the expert said. Do gait differences need to be treated? Differences in the way autistic people walk don't necessarily need to be treated, Prof Rinehart said. "Some autistic people might have subtle gait differences that are observable during testing," she wrote. "But if these differences don't impact a person's ability to participate in everyday life, they don't require support." But some may be at increased risk of falls, have difficulty participating in sports or other physical activities, or may get pain in their legs or back from the way they walk. In these cases, children may benefit from some additional support, whether that be from a clinic, at school, or in their local communities. "Our community-based intervention studies show autistic children's movement abilities can improve after engaging in community-based interventions, such as sports or dance," Prof Rinehart said. "Community-based support models empower autistic children to have agency in how they move, rather than seeing different ways of moving as a problem to be fixed." The key characteristics of autism - and why they go unnoticed By Alice Fuller, Health Features Editor MODEL Christine McGuinness was a 'recluse' for eight years and only left the house at 3am. Springwatch presenter Chris Packham says it makes him a 'task-centric workaholic who sees problems in everything he does'. And recently, Bella Ramsey revealed they were diagnosed after struggling to wear thermals on the set of The Last of Us. But what exactly is autism and why does it seem so different in everyone? Leanne Cooper-Brown, neurodevelopmental lead at Clinical Partners, tells Sun Health: 'Autism is considered a spectrum, so not all people share the same traits. 'Whereas we used to think of autism as a linear line, we have come to realise that terms such as 'high' and 'low' functioning or definitions of 'mild', 'moderate' or 'severe' aren't helpful and can be misleading. 'Nowadays, we think of autism in terms of the strengths and needs of the individual, which can change over time depending on their environment and support network.' About 700,000 people in the UK are thought to have autism - that's one in 100. But research by University College London suggests that number could be twice as high, as many people remain undiagnosed. Cases are on the rise though. Figures released last year showed a 175 per cent increase from 2011 to 2022. Dr Selina Warlow, clinical psychologist and owner of The Nook Neurodevelopmental Clinic, says: 'Conversation around neurodiversity is becoming normalised, and that's so positive to see. But more awareness is needed. 'Receiving a diagnosis can open access to expert resources that support autistic people to thrive in society.' Autism has long been associated with social difficulties, like problems maintaining conversations and forming relationships. But research published in the journal Cell Press suggested that repetitive behaviours - like rocking or finger-flicking - and special interests - whether it's TV shows or specific animals - are more indicative of an autism diagnosis. Generally though, experts say the core characteristics include… Sensitivity - autistic people can be much more or less sensitive to sights, sounds, textures, tastes and smells. For example, they find bright lights or crowded spaces overwhelming, Leanne says. They may also stand too close to others or need to move their whole body to look at something. Stimming - to manage this sensory overload, some people use repetitive movements or sounds. 'This is called stimming, and includes rocking, tapping and hand-flapping,' Dr Warlow says. 'Though it's something everyone does to some extent, those with autism are likely to engage with it as a form of self-regulation.' Masking - this is a strategy used by some autistic people, consciously or not, to match neurotypical people, Dr Warlow says. 'It's a way of hiding your true characteristics, and could involve copying facial expressions, planning conversations in advance, or holding in 'stimming' - swapping hand clapping with playing with a pen, for example,' she adds. Burnout - this is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion and is a common feature in autism. 'Being extremely tired, both mentally and physically, can be associated with the act of masking for a long period of time, or sensory or social overload,' Dr Warlow says. 'Symptoms of autistic burnout include social withdrawal, reduced performance and increased sensitivity.' Social struggles - socialising can be confusing or tiring for autistic people. They often find it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling, making it challenging to make friends. Leanne says: 'In adults, autism may present as difficulties with interpreting social cues such as understanding body language or sarcasm, struggling to express emotions or preferring to be alone. This can impact relationships and work.' Routine - many of us have a fairly regular daily schedule. But for autistic people, this becomes a 'very strong preference for routine', Leanne says. This could be needing a daily timetable to know what is going to happen and when, or having rigid preferences about foods or clothing. Literal thinking - some autistic people have a literal view of language - like believing it's actually 'raining cats and dogs' or that someone really wants you to 'break a leg'. Dr Warlow says: 'This can result in confusion with figures of speech, irony or indirect requests. 'For instance, being told to 'pull your socks up' might be understood literally, not as a motivational phrase.' Hyperfocus - often associated with ADHD, hyperfocusing is also common in autistic people. 'It's where you're able to focus intensely on an activity and become absorbed to the point of forgetting about time,' Dr Warlow says. 'This is useful in work or hobbies but can result in neglect of other aspects of life, such as food or rest.' Special interests - we all have hobbies and interests, but for autistic people, these are so compelling they often want to spend all their time learning about, thinking about or doing them. 'Special interests could include anything from dinosaurs to superheroes, and gardening to music,' Dr Warlow says. 'These usually begin in childhood, but can also form as an adult. 'Chris Packham is an example of an autistic person who turned his childhood special interest in animals into a successful career, becoming one of the UK's best-loved natural world TV presenters.
Euractiv
a day ago
- Business
- Euractiv
Defence lobby pushes for ‘bare minimum' €100bn arms fund in next EU budget
The EU's new long-term budget should include €100 billion for defence programmes, ten times the €10 billion assigned right now, the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) said in a position paper out Tuesday. The European Commission will unveil the structure and the figures for its next seven-year budget due to start in 2028 on Wednesday, with the €100 billion figure repeatedly touted as the amount needed to seriously fund a rearmament drive. The €100 billion budget, including an innovation programme, a production boost fund and incentives for joint purchases, with a focus on buying local, 'represents the bare minimum for starting to rebuild Europe's defence industrial capacities after accumulating a defence investment deficit of €600 billion during the decades of the 'peace dividend'," the ASD position document reads, Documents seen in advance of the formal budget publication by Euractiv show the Commission is planning on merging all defence industry programme with other funds aimed at boosting strategic sectors, notably in tech and those favouring EU-made products and procurement. The €10 billion in the EU's current budget for the arms industry goes on ammo production, innovation under the European Defence Fund and procurement incentives. EU countries altogether spent €326 billion on defence in 2024 . By way of comparison, the US Department of Defense pitched nearly three times as much for next year, a whopping $961.6 billion (€818 billion). The first one to raise the €100 billion figure, was former Defence Commissioner Thierry Breton. Since then, his replacement, Andrius Kubilius, along with Saab CEO Micael Johansson and several Eastern European capitals have also pushed the figure. For French EPP MEP Christophe Gomart, defence should make up 5% of the next seven-year budget, which works out at roughly €91 billion. Defence could even rise to €100 billion, he told Euractiv, by reducing the EU's humanitarian aid or scaling down the bloc's diplomatic network. EU countries could also factor cohesion funds into their defence expenditure, he added. Charles Cohen contributed to reporting. (jp)
Euronews
a day ago
- Business
- Euronews
EU's defence industry wants at least €100 billion under the next MFF
The €13 billion set aside for security and defence in the EU's current long-term budget (2021–2027) is a drop in the ocean when it comes to protecting Europe from serious threats, the bloc's defence, security, and space industry has warned. The next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) should feature dedicated investment envelopes that 'match the scale of the ambition and the urgency of the challenge,' according to a position paper by the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), released on the eve of the Commission's proposal. Industry leaders say that means allocating around €150 billion for both defence and security across the next seven-year budget cycle, starting in 2028. In recent months, the EU has urged member states to ramp up national defence efforts and has proposed an €800 billion plan to rearm. But so far, the pace of action has fallen short of expectations. 'Despite recent increases, Europe's current rate of defence investment and procurement is inadequate to address the most extreme military contingencies,' the ASD warned in the paper. With the US shifting focus to the Indo-Pacific and the threat of potential Russian aggression looming, industry figures argued that €100 billion for defence alone is 'the bare minimum' needed to begin rebuilding Europe's defence industrial base—especially after decades of underfunding that led to a €600 billion 'defence deficit' during the so-called peace dividend era. The precise breakdown of the EU's next budget remains under wraps until Wednesday. But according to leaked documents seen by Euronews, the Commission is expected to propose a massive industrial fund that merges up to 14 existing budget lines, spanning defence, space, and technology programs. This new instrument, the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), is set to include the European Defence Fund, the Act in Support of Ammunition Production, IRIS², InvestEU, the European Defence Industry Programme, EU4Health, and LIFE, among others. The ECF will also feature a European preference clause to promote sovereignty in critical areas like digital technologies, space, biotech, security, and defence. In addition, the European Commission is weighing whether to merge its two largest budget items—the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the cohesion policy—into a single programming framework. Under this umbrella, the ECF would be used to support the bloc's growing defence and security capabilities. The European industry has also called on EU policymakers to allocate another €40 to €60 billion for space-related projects and around €23.5 billion for civil aviation. Otherwise, chronic underinvestment in aerospace, defence and security could result in weakened capabilities, delayed critical transitions and increased dependencies, the ASD claimed. EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius told Euronews in a recent interview that the next long-term budget should include more funding for space initiatives to reduce reliance on the U.S. and strengthen the EU's strategic autonomy. While he didn't provide specific figures due to ongoing negotiations, Kubilius acknowledged that maintaining current space systems alone will cost more than the €17 billion currently allocated. 'If we do not allocate enough funding and fail to start developing these space projects, by 2035 we may find ourselves in a very unattractive situation,' he warned.
