The EU member states and the European Parliament have reached a preliminary agreement to adapt existing EU programmes so that they can be more extensively used for defence-related investments. The initiative is part of the ReArm Europe plan and aims to strengthen Europe's defence capability by 2030.
According to the European Council, the agreement includes adjustments in five EU programmes, including Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, and the European Defence Fund. For the first time, Ukraine is also included in the European Defence Fund, which opens up opportunities for joint research and development in defence.
– We need to maximise our investments in defence and dual-use technologies to prepare for the future – together in Europe and with Ukraine, says Denmark's Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen in the Council's press release.
In the press release from the Danish Ministry of Defence, it is emphasised that the agreement was negotiated under Denmark's EU presidency. The agreement is a step in implementing the mini-Omnibus for Defence presented by the Commission in April 2025.
– With today's agreement, we send a clear signal that Europe is working purposefully for a strengthened defence by 2030, says Marie Bjerre, Denmark's Minister for European Affairs, in the Ministry of Defence's press release.
The agreement must now be formally confirmed by both the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament before it can come into effect.