From 25 to 28 November 2025, the EU-funded SUNSHINE project successfully held the first Training Seminar at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences in Tallinn. This landmark event marked an important step in supporting the uptake of EU Space Programme data and services by national civil protection

Following its decision to award grants to 62 collaborative research and development projects under the 2024 edition of the European Defence Fund (EDF), the European Commission is now signing a series of new grant agreements with selected industrial consortia.

Over the past year, the European Union has taken major steps to strengthen its security and prepare for the challenges of the future. From defence to space, the EU has worked to protect citizens, support Ukraine’s defence industry and secure Europe’s place in a rapidly changing world.

Commissioner Kubilius met with defence industry representatives to discuss European drone and counterdrone capacities and solutions.

Following their successful launches in 2025, two new Copernicus satellite missions, Sentinel-1D and Sentinel-5A, have returned their first images, representing important progress in the EU’s capacity to monitor the planet’s surface and atmosphere.

Open call for evidence - Simplifying EU rules for defence and sensitive security procurement

On 20 November 2025, DG DEFIS hosted the official kick-off meeting of the iMUGS2 consortium. Selected under the 2024 European Defence Fund (EDF) calls for proposals, the project will benefit from nearly €50 million in EDF funding to advance Europe’s capabilities in unmanned ground systems.

In its 4th meeting on 21 November 2025, the STM main group, co-chaired by DG DEFIS and EEAS, was debriefed on the latest activities of the STM subgroups followed up by a comprehensive implementation roadmap of the EU STM approach

On December 17, 2025, at, 6:01 a.m. CET, two Galileo satellites will lift off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. This mission marks the fifth flight for Ariane 6, Europe’s new modular heavy-lift launcher.