The Commission has approved a €1.5 billion work programme under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIP), involving Ukraine and Norway.
According to the Commission, more than €700 million of this amount will be allocated to support increased production of key defence components and products, including counter-drone systems, missiles and ammunition. This includes €260 million under the ‘Ukraine Support Instrument’ (USI).
In addition, it is noted that €325 million of the total amount will be allocated to European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCI) for the launch and implementation of large-scale joint industrial initiatives. These projects are designed to benefit the wider EU and are also open to Norway and Ukraine.
“The first projects will be launched as early as tomorrow, and information about them will be available on the funding and tenders portal,” Renier noted.
To reduce fragmentation and increase efficiency, the EDIP will allocate €240 million for joint procurement by EU countries and Norway of defence equipment, including counter-drone systems, air and missile defence, and land and naval combat systems. Defence start-ups, including small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-sized companies, will receive €100 million in equity financing through the FAST fund (Fund for Accelerated Transformation of Defence Supply Chains).
