The European Defence Fund (EDF) is a co-funded industrial sectoral programme, which provides funding for research and capability development, fosters innovation and allow economies of scale, which will enhance the competitiveness of the EU defence industry. It facilitates Member States to better coordinate and supplement national investments in defence and to achieve greater output and develop defence technology and equipment that may not otherwise be feasible.
The EDF, which is funded through the EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, operates similarly to other EU industry and research support programmes, such as Horizon 2020, in supporting the European Defence and Industrial Technology Base in delivering capabilities for the EU's Common Security Defence Policy operations.
The EDF Expert Group first met on 12 June 2020 and most recently on 7 May 2021. My Department participated on the 15 occasions the expert group has met. As this is a working group and not a programme committee, there are no minutes available.
Since the adoption of the Regulation establishing the EDF on the 29th of April 2021, my Department has participated in all five meetings of the EDF Programme Committee Group, the first of which was on 20 May 2021.
It is the European Commission's (DG DEFIS) intention to make the summary reports of the meetings available online as soon as they have been approved. In that regard, my Department understands that the minutes for the meetings of 20 May and 25 May will be published online shortly.
