BRUSSELS / EuroWire / – The European Union has approved a €115 million initiative aimed at speeding up defence innovation across member states. The Programme for Agile and Rapid Defence Innovation, known as AGILE, will provide support to small and medium-sized enterprises, including start-ups and scale-ups. The Council of the European Union officially endorsed the regulation on October 12, following the completion of legislative procedures by lawmakers. The initiative emphasizes emerging and disruptive technologies that can transition swiftly from development to practical defence deployment.
AGILE will fund the creation and evaluation of cutting-edge defence solutions, which include civilian technologies adapted for military applications. The programme aims to award grants within four months of application submission. EU officials anticipate that technologies supported through this fund will reach defence units within one to three years. Funding amounts will vary between €1 million and €5 million, offering smaller enterprises direct access to resources for projects aligned with the programme’s criteria.
European Commission officials project that AGILE will back around 20 to 30 projects during its initial phase. Selected initiatives may receive financial support covering up to 100% of eligible expenses. Companies can also claim costs incurred up to three months prior to the call’s closing date. The work programme will support mission-oriented product development and market delivery activities that facilitate the transition of defence innovations toward operational users and procurement channels.
Rapid funding aimed at small defence firms
Companies supported by AGILE will benefit from expedited access to testing and experimentation facilities across Europe. Additionally, the framework offers matchmaking opportunities between smaller innovators and leading defence manufacturers. Member states will contribute to defining programme challenges, ensuring funded efforts meet identified capability needs. The rules also incorporate simplified procurement procedures for supported products, creating a streamlined path for projects to transition from testing phases into defence supply chains and operational deployment across participating European markets.
The first call for proposals is projected for early 2027, coinciding with the programme’s operational launch. Eligible participants include companies from EU member states and associated countries. Ukraine, along with nations within the European Economic Area and the European Free Trade Association, will also be eligible to participate. The programme allows individual companies to apply independently, while consortium submissions remain an option within the framework for eligible projects.
Implementation scheduled for early 2027
Following a successful plenary vote on October 6, the European Parliament approved the final text after a political agreement was reached in July. The European Union initially announced AGILE in March 2026 as a dedicated instrument to accelerate defence technology development. Now, formal adoption completes the remaining legal procedures before the programme’s launch. The Presidents of Parliament and the Council must sign the regulation, after which it will be published in the EU Official Journal and become effective 20 days later.
AGILE is designed to complement existing EU initiatives that support defence research, industrial growth, and technology adoption. With a €115 million budget within the current EU financial framework, it predominantly targets smaller and emerging defence suppliers. The funding structure combines rapid grant allocation, access to testing facilities, and pathways into procurement channels for select projects. The overarching goal is to shorten the timeline from promising technology to operational testing and deployment by European defence entities across participating nations.