EDIP: Stronger Defence, Stronger Europe

The EPP Group welcomes tonight’s agreement between the European Parliament and EU Member States on the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP). It will strengthen Europe’s defence industry capabilities and support Ukraine.

"With EDIP, the long-term program boosting European cooperation on defence industry, we ensure that European countries will invest in weapons that guarantee them full autonomy of action, says Francois-Xavier Bellamy MEP, the Parliament's co-negotiator from the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.

"EDIP is a crucial element for achieving defence readiness by 2030 by strengthening our industrial capacities, fostering common procurement, providing Union funding for capability projects of common interest", underlines Michael Gahler MEP, the EPP Group's negotiator of EDIP in Parliament's Security and Defence Committee. 

"The new programme will also significantly deepen our cooperation with Ukraine, allowing us to benefit from Ukraine’s impressive innovation capacities demonstrated in its fight against Russia’s aggression, particularly in defending against drones", explains Gahler.

"Regrettably, with the initial budget of 1.5 billion euros, there is a substantial gap between ambition and funding. Both Parliament and the Member States must reflect intensively on their priorities in the short and long-term budget negotiations in order to achieve defence readiness by 2030", warns Gahler.