The European Defence Fund in detail
The EDF supports companies across Member States develop competitive and collaborative defence projects that will deliver innovative and interoperable defence technologies and equipment. It offers support and advice to participants throughout the entire cycle of research and development.
The Fund has a budget of nearly €7.3 billion for 2021-2027, with €2.7 billion allocated for collaborative defence research and €5.3 billion for collaborative capability development projects that complement national contributions. The financial support is offered primarily through grants up to 100% of eligible costs contingent on activities involved and a bonus system that considers SMEs, mid-caps, and connection to a PESCO project.
The EDF is implemented through annual work programmes structured along 34 thematic and horizontal categories of actions along the objectives set in the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027. The Programme is implemented directly by the Commission. In duly justified cases and in line with the EDF Regulation, the management of a grant can be delegated to an entrusted entity.
Identified priorities are aiming at contributing to the security and defence interests of the Union, in line with defence capability priorities agreed by Member States within the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and particularly in the context of the Capability Development Plan (CDP), and taking into account, where appropriate, regional priorities and priorities from and international organisations (NATO).
The categories of actions structuring the annual work programmes have been designed to cover all military domains and key enabling technologies. Funded projects should enable the European Commission to respond to the needs of Member States while targeting critical capabilities that are essential for the future. The EDF annual work programmes are defined in close cooperation with Member States representatives within the EDF Programme Committee, including the involvement of the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The EDF builds on earlier initiatives such as the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) and the European Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP).
On 17 December 2025, the Commission adopted the European Defence Fund’s 2026 Annual Work Programme, earmarking €1 billion for collaborative research and development (R&D) in the field of defence.
The EDF Work Programme 2026 addresses 31 call topics in total, structured along seven thematic calls for proposals, three non-thematic calls for proposals, one action to focus on threats from hypersonic glide vehicles, and two actions in support of the EU Alliance for defence medical countermeasures.
Commonly agreed critical defence capability priorities remain at the forefront, with half of the budget earmarked to support collaborative R&D on major defence capabilities. This includes the development of an EU endo-atmospheric interceptor, a main battle tank, a multiple rocket launcher, and a semi-autonomous vessel.
One quarter of the budget is allocated to critical technologies and capabilities in a variety of forward-looking areas, including quantum-secured networks, electronic warfare, multi-domain operations cloud and high-performance energy systems. The last quarter is dedicated to implementing the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS), which supports innovation and disruptive technologies for defence applications through targeted measures. This includes around €60 million for disruptive technologies, and €60 million dedicated for non-thematic calls for proposals for SMEs.
The EDF helps reduce the fragmentation in investment in the development of European defence technologies and capabilities. It also strengthens industrial competitiveness and promotes interoperability across Europe. Since the EDF Regulation came into force in May 2021, the Commission has committed almost €6.5 billion in total, becoming one of the top investors in defence R&D worldwide.
The European Commission is pleased to announce that the upcoming edition of the EDF Info Days will took place on 2 - 3 April 2025 in Brussels and online.
The EDF Info Days 2025 gathered more than 5000 participants from all around the EU, Norway and beyond both on-site and online.
It was a unique opportunity to learn all what is needed to apply to EU Funding & Tenders Portal for proposals and to discover and network with potential partners in future EDF projects.
The slides of Day 1 (plenary info session) are now available here.
Watch the recording of the info sessions of day 1:
EDF tutorials
Learn more about some of the European Defence Fund specific features via our set of tutorials.
Financial aspects
- Funding rates (video, slides)
- Co-financing declaration (video, slides)
- Co-financing in Detailed budget tables (video)
- Type of grants: Form of Funding (video, slides)
- Costs categories and eligible costs (video, slides)
- Actual indirect costs (video, slides)
- Detailed budget tables (video, slides)
- Payment scheme (video, slides)
- NEW ! Reporting actual costs (video, slides)
Other aspects
- Selection criteria (video, slides)
- Award criteria (video, slides)
- PIC registration and validation process (video)
- Submission process (video, slides)
- SME and Mid-cap assessment (video, slides)
- Ownership control assessment (video, slides)
- Ethics in EDF (video, slides)
- Grant Agreement Preparation (video, slides)
- Intra EU Transfers Authorisations (video, slides)
Contributing to Defence Readiness through Critical Technologies
EDF projects integrate cutting-edge technologies to strengthen the EU’s defence readiness and reinforce its Defence Technological and Industrial Base. These projects span across a wide range of domains from artificial intelligence, cyber defence to drones and counter-drone systems, maintaining the EU ahead of the curve of defence innovation and technologies.
The following Defence Technology Factsheets highlight the contribution of EDF funded projects to modern defence research and development across key technologies:
Am I eligible for funding?
Applying for funding requires the creation of a consortium consisting of at least three Member States or associated countries (currently only Norway). Calls for disruptive technologies allow smaller consortia (at least two entities from two Member States or associated countries).
Recipients and subcontractors must be EU-based, with their executive management structure in the EU.
They should not be controlled by a non-associated third country, with exceptions possible through approved guarantees. Entities from non-associated third countries can participate, but under conditions ensuring the EU security and defence interests, without receiving EDF funding.
As part of the EDF, the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) was set up to facilitate smaller players and innovators be part of the European defence sector.
EUDIS is here to support smaller players and innovators throughout their development cycle to mature, scale-up, demonstrate their use-case and successfully enter the market.
This page contains the EDF Interim Evaluation, adopted on 17 June 2025. In line with Article 29 (2) of the Regulation establishing the European Defence Fund, the interim evaluation of the Fund shall be carried out once there is sufficient information available about its implementation, but no later than four years after the start of the implementation period of the Fund.