Strengthening the innovative, industrial and scientific base of the European defence industry.

The European Defence Fund (EDF) strengthens the innovative, industrial, and scientific foundations of the European defence industry, thereby contributing to the strategic autonomy of the EU. It supports cooperative projects for the research and development of new defence technologies aimed at meeting concrete military capability needs of the future.

Objectives of the EDF

  • Promote the competitiveness, efficiency, innovative capacity, and technological independence of the EU defence industry.

  • Reinforce European cross-border cooperation.

  • Enhance the European Union’s capacity to act and strengthen its autonomy, particularly in technological and industrial terms.

  • Reduce duplication across Europe and increase standardisation.

 

The essential in brief

Open Availability from
01.01.2021 - 31.12.2027
Target group
Research facilitiesSingle researchersSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)Universities of applied sciences
Sponsor
EC - European Commission
Federal Ministry of Defence

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.

EUDIS the innovation support programme of the EDF

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.

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Programme Information from the European Commission

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.

Contact

STURM-LEITHNER Thomas

Thomas STURM-LEITHNER

Nationale Kontaktstelle
+43 577 55-4212 E-Mail
ZERGOI Thomas

Thomas ZERGOI

Nationale Kontaktstelle
+43 577 55-4201 E-Mail

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