European Defence Fund

Structure of the Programme

• The programme runs for seven years, with annual calls for proposals from 2021 to 2027. Each year, a work programme with submission opportunities (“Calls for Proposals”) is published. Submissions are made via the European Commission’s “Funding & Tenders Portal”.
  The current EDF calls can be found at the bottom of this page.
• To ensure continuous research and further development of the relevant topics, an “Indicative Multiannual Perspective” is published annually, describing the most likely projects for the following years. These projections may change due to altered framework conditions.
• The EDF is divided into two pillars: Research and Development. These differ in terms of technological maturity, funding rate, and submission requirements.
• Compared to research projects, development projects have additional requirements (co-financing from other sources, a letter of intent from a Ministry of Defence).
• The EDF budget amounts to approximately 8 billion euros. Around one third of the funds is invested in research projects (funding rate of 100%), while the remaining funds are available for development projects (funding rate between 20% and 90%). Various bonuses are available to increase the funding rate.
• It is important to note that all projects must be cooperative. This means that several organisations from multiple EU Member States (plus Norway) must jointly submit and implement a project as a consortium. In most cases, at least three organisations from three different countries are required.
• Beneficiaries of EDF funding must not be under third-country control (ownership outside EU Member States or Norway).

Comprehensive details on the structure of the programme can be found on the EDF FAQ page (currently only available in german).
You are also welcome to contact the National Contact Points (NCPs) with your queries.

The EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) offers a range of instruments designed to strengthen innovation within the European Union’s defence industry.

• Innovation-promoting instruments are directly embedded in the EDF calls. These include, in particular, spin-in calls, which specifically draw on results from civil research projects for use within the EDF, as well as open calls aimed especially at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and calls focusing on the use of disruptive technologies.
• Annual hackathons are held to develop innovative solutions for various target groups within the EU defence ecosystem. These events provide an easy entry point into the defence sector and enable early collaboration with end users and industry.
• Successful SMEs have the opportunity to participate in business coaching, where experienced coaches support companies in the successful implementation of their projects. A business accelerator is available for start-ups and scale-ups, offering seed funding as well as opportunities to establish contacts with investors and end users in the defence sector.

Further information and details on the initiatives can be found here.

The European Defence Fund (EDF) is managed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). On the DG DEFIS website, you will also find all official detailed information on the EDF. This includes extensive informational materials, factsheets, and tutorials with video explanations. In addition, the call texts of the work programmes as well as information on selected projects are published.