EU announces €500 million for defence projects
On 19 March 2019 the EU announced up to €500 million in funding for defence projects, including the development of a ‘Eurodrone’. The European Commission, the bloc's executive, said €100 million was earmarked for the proposed drone as the bloc seeks to reduce its dependency on US technology.
Brussels is stepping up efforts to rationalise Europe's spending on new military equipment to make it more cost-effective and reduce waste.
‘With the EU investments we are launching today, we are going from ideas to concrete projects, we are strengthening the competitiveness of our defence industries,’ Industry Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska said.
The commission will soon invite proposals for projects in five priority areas, with over €180 million on offer for intelligence, secure communications and cyber and €5.7 million for AI-enabled defence technology.
‘Cooperation in defence is the only way to protect and defend Europeans in an increasingly instable world," commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen said. ‘Joint projects are materialising. European Defence is happening.’
The commission has proposed a budget of €13 billion for defence for the period from 2021 to 2027.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
More from Defence Notes
-
![New UK-EU defence pact misses concrete details despite ambitious “first step”]()
New UK-EU defence pact misses concrete details despite ambitious “first step”
Given the geopolitical gravity, analysts have said the defence and security agreement established falls short of what is needed for future UK-EU co-operation.
-
![Drones, C-UAS and air base investments top the list in $42 billion US-Qatar defence deal]()
Drones, C-UAS and air base investments top the list in $42 billion US-Qatar defence deal
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems secured a nearly $2 billion deal for MQ-9B uncrewed aerial systems, while Raytheon’s counter-UAS system was secured for $1 billion.
-
![Brazilian Congress to review constitution amendment to secure defence budget increase]()
Brazilian Congress to review constitution amendment to secure defence budget increase
An amendment to the Brazilian Constitution currently under discussion would permanently assign 2% of annual GDP to the defence budget, potentially cementing modernisation programmes for the country’s armed forces.
-
![What capabilities could the US supply to Saudi Arabia under the $142 billion deal?]()
What capabilities could the US supply to Saudi Arabia under the $142 billion deal?
Multiple questions involving the largest US Foreign Military Sale in history remain unanswered.
