The European Commission has allocated €325 million to launch and implement five European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCI). The funding comes from the €1.5 billion European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP).
On 28 September 2026, EU member states approved the initiatives, making them eligible for EU budget support. The projects are designed for joint development of major systems that would be too complex or costly for any single country to build alone.
The five areas are:
drones and counter-drone systems (DECODER);
integrated maritime and seabed defence (IMSD);
space-based defence (SPACE);
federated integrated air and missile defence, including early warning (EU-FIAMD);
strengthening security along the EU’s eastern flank (Eastern Flank Watch).
On average, about 18 EU member states take part in each project. Ukraine is involved in four of the five, and Norway may also participate. The Commission will help countries coordinate implementation.
The €325 million is seed funding. Combined investment across the projects could reach around €190 billion by 2036; after 2027, additional support may come from the future European Competitiveness Fund.
The aim of the EDPCI framework is to reduce fragmentation in the defence market, strengthen Europe’s industrial base and improve the EU’s readiness for shared threats, in line with NATO capability priorities. Irish Defence Minister Helen McEntee, whose country holds the Council of the EU presidency, said that together with Norway and Ukraine, Europe is taking decisive steps to protect space, the skies, the seas, undersea cables and the citizens who depend on them.
