EU unlocks defence innovation: “Time to take security seriously again”

The EPP Group welcomes the deal reached this evening on the Mini-Omnibus Defence package. The Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council landed an agreement to make existing European research and innovation programmes accessible to technologies with dual use of military applications. This move marks a significant step in aligning Europe’s innovation agenda with growing security ambitions. 

“The European Union must take its security seriously again, and that means investing in our own defence industry,” says Wouter Beke MEP, chief negotiator for the EPP Group, following tonight’s political breakthrough on the law package. “With this agreement, we are creating opportunities for innovation and strengthening our European defence, without neglecting existing support for civilian projects.”

Under the new framework, Ukrainian companies will also be eligible to participate in joint projects with European partners financed through the European Defence Fund (EDF). In addition, Ukraine and European Economic Area (EEA) countries will gain access to several EU programmes (including Digital Europe Programme and EDF), in recognition of their strategic role in Europe’s security architecture.

Beke adds: “History teaches us that innovations in defence often find their way into other areas, such as the internet or GPS. We have been talking about the importance of European defence for a long time, but now it is time for action.”