BRUSSELS / EuroWire / – The European Union has sanctioned a €115 million initiative aimed at boosting defence innovation across member states. Officially known as the AGILE programme, this funding will prioritize support for small and medium-sized enterprises, including start-ups and scale-ups. The Council of the European Union gave its formal approval for the regulation on October 12, following the completion of legislative procedures. The initiative aims to accelerate the transition of emerging and disruptive technologies from development into practical defence applications more swiftly.
AGILE will allocate resources for the development and trial of cutting-edge defence solutions, including civilian technologies adapted for military use. The programme seeks to award grants within four months of application submission, with EU officials projecting that supported innovations will reach defence forces within one to three years. Funding per project will range from €1 million to €5 million, providing smaller firms with direct financial support to advance projects aligned with programme objectives.
European Commission anticipates that during its initial phase, AGILE will back approximately 20 to 30 projects. Selected initiatives could receive funding covering up to 100% of eligible costs. Companies are also permitted to claim qualifying expenses incurred up to three months prior to the application deadline. The work programme will encompass mission-oriented product development and market delivery activities designed to bring defence solutions closer to operational deployment and procurement channels.
Rapid grants focus on smaller defence companies
Participants supported by AGILE will benefit from expedited access to testing and experimentation facilities across Europe. The framework also promotes matchmaking opportunities between innovative smaller firms and major defence manufacturers. EU member states will assist in defining programme challenges, ensuring funded work aligns with identified capability needs. Additionally, simplified procurement procedures are included for supported products, facilitating a smoother transition from testing phases into defence supply chains and operational deployment across participating European markets.
The first call for proposals is expected to be launched at the start of 2027, coinciding with the programme’s operational launch. Eligible participants will include companies from EU member countries and associated nations. Ukraine, along with countries in the European Economic Area and European Free Trade Association, will also be able to join. While individual companies can apply directly, consortium participation remains an option under the funding framework for qualifying projects.
Implementation set for early 2027
Following a political agreement reached in July, the European Parliament gave its approval in a plenary vote on October 6. The European Commission initially unveiled AGILE in March 2026 as a dedicated tool for accelerating defence technology development. The formal adoption now clears the remaining legal procedures before the programme can be put into effect. The regulation must be signed by the Presidents of the Parliament and Council before publication in the EU Official Journal, after which it will enter into force 20 days later.
AGILE will serve as a complement to existing European initiatives supporting defence research, industrial development, and technology adoption. With a €115 million budget within the current EU financial framework, the programme emphasizes support for smaller and emerging defence suppliers. Its funding model combines swift grant decisions, access to testing facilities, and pathways into procurement processes for selected projects. The goal is to shorten the timeline from promising technological concepts to operational deployment by European defence customers across participating countries.