 |
| |
| |
European Defence Fund launched
The European Commission launched on 7 June the European Defence Fund (EDF), which will support collaborative defence research, development and acquisition in the coming years. The initiative will mobilise both EU and national funding, and will complement the EU’s efforts to promote defence and dual use technologies across Europe’s regions.
The EDF has two strands: a research strand and a capability one to cover development and acquisition. The research strand is already delivering through the Preparatory Action on Defence Research which will be financed with EUR 90 million until 2019. For the post-2020 period the Commission will propose an EU defence research programme with an estimated annual budget of EUR 500 million. The development strand includes a proposal for the establishment of a European Defence Industrial Development Programme to promote and co-fund, together with Member States, collaborative defence development projects with an overall EU funding of EUR 500 million for 2019 and 2020. The EU funding for collaborative development is expected to increase to EUR 1 billion per year after 2020. With leveraged national financing it is expected to generate a total investment in defence development of EUR 5 billion after 2020.
The EDF will be coordinated with continuing mobilisation of the Commission’s other instruments and policies that promote defence and dual use technology development. These include use of the EU’s Structural Funds for dual use and defence projects, business and export support for SMEs, smart specialisation strategies and EU-funded training and vocational initiatives to develop Europe’s defence skills.
More info: Press release & background docs
|
|
 |
| |
| |
Smart specialisation event in Helsinki showcases defence as new source of growth
More than 800 participants gathered in the Finnish capital on 1-2 June for the “Smart Regions 2.0” conference organised by the European Commission. Focused on targeted technology development, it offered many opportunities for national and regional authorities to share experiences of how smart specialisation strategies have been implemented across their territories.
Security & defence and health and water were the three areas addressed in the emerging technology session. Croatia explained how it has included dual use as a theme in the security priority of their research and innovation smart specialisation strategy (RIS3). This is a part of Croatia's plan for reforming its security & defence sector and thus positioning itself as a dual use region focused in particular on command & control technologies, personal protection equipment and unmanned vehicles.
More on the conference: Programme and other info
More on ENDR’s Croatian member: Croatian Defence Industry Competitiveness Cluster
|
|
 |
| |
| |
Aarhus conference conclusion: promote more public-private dual use cooperation
A number of useful lessons learnt for promoting dual use innovation emerged from ENDR’s third regional conference. Held in Aarhus, Denmark on 4-5 May and hosted by CenSec - the Aarhus region’s largest technological cluster - the event’s 80 participants reviewed many examples of dual use collaboration between public and private sectors. It also showcased concrete examples of how companies, large and small, define their strategies for addressing both defence and civil markets.
Looking to the examples of France and the UK, whose defence ministries co-define or financially support the development of dual use technologies with private companies, CenSec said a similar stance by the Danish Ministry of Defence would greatly stimulate dual use technologies in its region. It also pledged to step up awareness among Danish SMEs of the dual use opportunities in their corner of Europe.
More info: CenSec dual use conference |
|
 |
| |
| |
Preparatory Action calls for defence R&D projects launched
The 2017 calls for technology proposals under the EU’s Preparatory Action on Defence Research were published on 7 June.
Setting aside a total of EUR 90 million for 2017-2019, the Preparatory Action will grant in 2017 EUR 25 million on three projects. Proposals are expected for: force protection and soldier system technologies against blast, ballistic or CBRN threats, a technological demonstrator for enhanced situational awareness in naval environments and, finally, a strategic technology foresight study on future priorities for EU-funded defence R&D. The submission deadline for the demonstrator is 5 October, with 21 September the deadline for the other two.
The Preparatory Action is part of the Commission’s European Defence Fund initiative. It is kick-starting the fund's defence research strand, which will support collaborative research and technology. The Fund's second strand will support the joint development and acquisition of defence equipment and technology.
For details and applications: 2017 PADR calls for proposals
|
|
 |
 |
 |
