EU Council approves first five joint defence projects under…

EU Council approves first five joint defence projects under EDIP

The EU Council has approved the first five European Defence Projects of Common Interest under EDIP, covering drones, maritime defence, space, air and missile defence, and eastern flank security, with €325 million in initial funding. On average 18 member states participate in each project, with Ukraine involved in four and Norway also eligible, as combined funding ambitions reach around €190 billion by 2036.

Daniel TrangeledINTERNATIONAL30 Sept 2026Original Source

On 28 September, the Council of the EU approved the first five European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs). The projects can now receive funding from the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP).

The projects cover drones and counter-drone systems (DECODER), maritime and seabed defence (IMSD), space capabilities (SPACE), air and missile defence with early warning (EU-FIAMD) and security along the eastern flank (Eastern Flank Watch).

According to the Commission, €325 million of EDIP's €1.5 billion budget is set aside for the projects. It puts their combined funding ambition at around €190 billion by 2036. On average, 18 member states take part in each project. Ukraine is involved in four of the five. The projects are also open to Norway.

The Council says EDIP money will pay for the projects' initial deployment. More funding could follow from the planned European Competitiveness Fund.

– Working closely with our partners Norway and Ukraine, together we are taking decisive steps to protect space, our skies, our seas, undersea cables and our citizens who depend on them, said Ireland's Minister for Defence, Helen McEntee.

In July, the Commission proposed the five projects, choosing them from nine submissions, as previously reported by NDS.

Common questions about the article

Questions and answers generated automatically from the article content.

01What are the first five European Defence Projects of Common Interest approved under EDIP?

The Council of the EU approved five projects on 28 September: DECODER covering drones and counter-drone systems, IMSD for maritime and seabed defence, SPACE for space capabilities, EU-FIAMD for air and missile defence with early warning, and Eastern Flank Watch for eastern flank security. Last fact-checked: 2026-09-30.

02How much funding is allocated to the five EDPCI projects and what is their long-term ambition?

03Which countries are participating in the five EU joint defence projects?