A Strategic Opportunity for European Defence Funding

The two-day event provided a unique opportunity to learn how to apply for the EDF 2025 calls for proposals and to network with potential partners for future collaborative defence projects. As an independent consultancy with deep expertise in funding strategy and dual-use infrastructure, EUDIMA’s participation focused on gaining insights into the latest EDF mechanisms and exploring opportunities for supporting clients in accessing this critical EU funding instrument.

The European Defence Fund

The EDF is the Commission’s instrument to support Research and Development in defence. The Fund has a budget of nearly €7.3 billion for 2021-2027, with €2.7 billion allocated for collaborative defence research and €5.3 billion for collaborative capability development projects that complement national contributions.

The Fund’s main goals are:

• To promote cooperation between companies, including SMEs and research actors throughout the Union
• To boost defence capability development through investments
• To help EU companies develop cutting-edge and interoperable defence technologies and equipment

The 2025 Work Programme

The Commission adopted the European Defence Fund’s annual Work Programme for 2025, allocating €1.065 billion for collaborative research and development in the field of defence. The 2025 EDF Work Programme addresses 33 call topics in total, structured along 7 thematic calls for proposals, 2 non-thematic calls for proposals and 2 actions in support of the Alliance for Defence Medical Countermeasures.

The Work Programme supports the development of critical defence technologies and capabilities across all military domains, including ground, air, naval, space, and cyber, in line with EU capability priorities agreed by Member States.

EUDIMA’s Engagement

Throughout the two-day event, EUDIMA:

• Attended Plenary Information Sessions: Gained comprehensive understanding of the EDF 2025 calls for proposals, application procedures, and evaluation criteria
• Explored Funding Mechanisms: Learned about funding rates, co-financing requirements, eligible costs, and the bonus system for SMEs, mid-caps, and PESCO-connected projects
• Networked with Stakeholders: Connected with potential consortium partners, industry representatives, research institutions, and SMEs from across the EU and Norway
• Assessed Call Topics: Evaluated the 33 call topics to identify opportunities aligned with client capabilities and strategic interests
• Engaged with DG DEFIS Representatives: Interacted with European Commission officials to gain clarity on specific funding requirements and programme implementation

Key Focus Areas

EUDIMA’s participation emphasized several strategic areas critical to our clients and the broader European defence landscape:

• Consortium Building: Understanding requirements for collaborative projects involving at least three Member States or associated countries
• SME and Mid-Cap Opportunities: Exploring the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) designed to support smaller players and innovators
• Eligibility Criteria: Clarifying ownership and control requirements, ensuring recipients are EU-based with executive management structures in the EU
• Cross-Domain Capabilities: Identifying opportunities across land, air, naval, space, and cyber domains
• Dual-Use Technologies: Assessing calls relevant to dual-use applications and civil-military synergies
• Grant Application Process: Understanding the submission process, selection and award criteria, and grant agreement preparation.

The EDF Info Days 2025 underscored the European Commission’s commitment to strengthening the EU’s defence industrial base through collaborative research and development. The event highlighted:

• Reduced Fragmentation: The EDF helps reduce the fragmentation of investment in European defence technologies and capabilities
• Enhanced Competitiveness: The Fund strengthens industrial competitiveness and promotes interoperability across Europe
• Significant Investment: With the adoption of the 2025 Work Programme, the Commission has committed €5.4 billion since the entry into force of the EDF Regulation in May 2021, becoming one of the top investors in defence R&D .
• Alignment with NATO and CSDP: Priorities aim to contribute to the security and defence interests of the Union, aligned with defence capability priorities within the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) framework.

The event provided EUDIMA with access to comprehensive tutorials and guidance on:

• Funding rates and bonus systems
• Co-financing declarations and detailed budget tables
• Cost categories and eligible costs
• Selection and award criteria
• Submission processes and PIC registration
• Ethics requirements and grant agreement preparation
• Intra-EU transfer authorizations

These resources enhance EUDIMA’s ability to guide clients through the complex EDF application process and maximize their chances of securing funding.

The networking opportunities at EDF Info Days 2025 facilitated connections with:

• Defence industry primes and tier suppliers
• Research and technology organizations (RTOs)
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps
• Academic and research institutions
• National armament directorates and defence ministries
• European Defence Agency (EDA) representatives
• European External Action Service (EEAS) officials

These connections strengthen EUDIMA’s network and enhance our ability to support consortium formation and strategic partnership development for future EDF proposals.

The insights gained from EDF Info Days 2025 position EUDIMA to provide enhanced strategic advisory services to clients seeking to:

• Access EDF funding for collaborative defence R&D projects
• Build competitive consortia across multiple EU Member States
• Navigate complex eligibility and application requirements
• Align project proposals with EU capability priorities
• Leverage EUDIS opportunities for innovative smaller entities
• Integrate dual-use technologies into defence applications

EUDIMA remains committed to supporting European defence industrial cooperation by leveraging our expertise in EU funding mechanisms, dual-use infrastructure, and cross-border programme delivery to help clients successfully access and implement EDF-funded projects.

We thank the European Commission’s DG DEFIS for organizing this exceptional event and providing essential guidance for stakeholders across the European defence ecosystem.