The European Commission officially launched the EU-Ukraine Alliance for Drone Development during the third EU-Ukraine Defence Industry Forum, held in Kyiv. This Alliance will enable the EU and Ukraine to collaborate more closely on the development and use of drones and systems to intercept hostile drones. It forms part of the EU’s wider efforts to […]
The Council and the Parliament reach a political agreement on a programme for agile and rapid innovation in defence
On 15 July, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional political agreement on the proposal to establish a Programme for Agile and Rapid Innovation in Defence (AGILE), a new €115 million instrument designed to provide rapid, agile and targeted financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises – including start-ups and scale-ups – that […]
Europeans are calling for stronger measures on online child safety, democratic resilience, defence and the energy transition
A newly published Eurobarometer survey reveals that Europeans are extremely concerned about the risks children face on social media. Given the growing reliance on these platforms, the public believes that greater protection and more robust measures are needed to combat disinformation. Furthermore, in light of global challenges, Europeans are calling for greater democratic participation, stronger […]
The Commission presents the EU Action Plan on Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence
The European Commission has presented an Action Plan to provide a structured response to address the risks and capitalise on the opportunities presented by advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models in the field of cybersecurity. New advanced AI models are redefining cybersecurity. AI can be misused to identify vulnerabilities, automate attacks and increase the scale and […]
The Commission is proposing five joint defence projects to strengthen Europe’s industrial capabilities
The European Commission has proposed five new large-scale projects, known as European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCI),to help EU countries strengthen their defence capabilities through the joint development of key military systems. The industrial projects focus on five priority areas: drones and anti-drone systems; maritime and seabed defence; space; air and missile defence; and […]
MEPs back the EU’s new defence innovation programme
The bill aims to respond to the new security environment brought about by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, in which rapid, low-cost cycles of defence innovation are essential. On Thursday,the Committee on Industry, Research and Energyand theCommittee on Security and Defenceadopted their position on the establishment of the Agile and Rapid Defence Innovation Programme […]
Regions call on the EU to take measures to unlock the full potential of SMEs in the defence sector
SMEs must play a much greater role in the European defence industry. This is the main conclusion of the meeting held by the European Committee of the Regions’ (CoR) Working Group on Defence on 16 June in Cartagena, its first meeting outside Brussels. Its members called for simpler procedures, better access to funding and public […]
The Commission welcomes the Council’s agreement, which paves the way for greater EU military mobility
The European Commission welcomes the Council’s general approach to its negotiating mandate regarding the Regulation on military mobility. Military mobility is a key element of Europe’s defence and security. To ensure a credible deterrent, the European Union must be able to mobilise troops rapidly and effectively when necessary. The proposal is based on three priorities: […]
The EU agrees to accelerate the development of the defence industrial base and streamline public procurement in the defence sector
The European Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to simplify public procurement in the fields of security and defence, facilitate investment in defence and support the defence industry. The Commission proposed the comprehensive package of defence measures a year ago, as part of the […]