European Commission has adopted work programmes to co-finance joint defense industrial projects in 2019-2020 worth up to €500 million ($562 million). A further €25 million ($28 million) have been earmarked to support collaborative defense research projects in 2019.

This programme, called the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), will be implemented by the Commission through annual calls for proposals, to be published in 2019 and in 2020. The programme, with a financial envelope of $562 million will co-finance the joint development of defense products and technologies.

The calls for proposals are based on a 2-year work programme defined in close cooperation with EU countries and adopted by the European Commission on 19 March 2019. There will be 9 calls for proposals in 2019, and 12 in 2020.

The 2019 calls for proposals will address 9 categories of defense capabilities.

• In the priority area of Preparation, protection, deployment and sustainability (1 call):

1. The multipurpose unmanned ground system

• In the priority area of Information management and superiority and command, control, communication, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR), cyber defense and cybersecurity (4 calls):

2. Permanent air or space capabilities for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and communication, tactical Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) and sensor suite for integration into air-traffic management
3. Cyber situational awareness and defense capabilities, military networks and technologies for secure communication and information sharing
4. Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) and satellite communication capabilities
5. European Command and Control (C2) system from strategic to tactical level

• In the priority area of Engagement and effectors (3 calls):

6. Upgrade of current and development of next-generation ground-based precision strike capabilities
7. Air combat capabilities
8. Future naval platforms and related technologies

• In the priority area of Cross-domain capabilities (1 call):

9. Innovative and future-oriented defense solutions

This last call will be specifically devoted to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) to encourage the participation of such enterprises and foster innovation.

With both programmes now operational and running, the Commission is paving the way for a fully-fledged European Defence Fund for the next financial period 2021-2027.