Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) September 28, 2026 – European Union member states have officially endorsed the first five European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs), focusing on drones, maritime defence, space security, air and missile defence, and the protection of the Eastern Flank. Backed by a €325 million allocation from the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), these collaborative industrial initiatives are designed to bridge critical military capability gaps, scale up joint production, and enhance strategic autonomy across participating nations.
Overview of the European Defence Projects of Common Interest
The formal endorsement by EU member states marks a significant step toward deeper military-industrial cooperation within the bloc. The selected initiatives are structured to address complex security requirements that individual countries would struggle to tackle independently. These collaborative frameworks enable participating nations to pool resources, streamline supply chains, and standardise military equipment.
The European Commission welcomed the decision, emphasising that the initiatives will accelerate Europe’s defence readiness. The selected industrial projects focus on five distinct priority areas: drone and counter-drone systems, integrated maritime and seabed defence, space-based capabilities, federated integrated air and missile defence, and enhanced security along the EU’s Eastern Flank.
Funding Mechanisms and Financial Allocations
To facilitate the initial deployment of these projects, funding has been made available through the €1.5 billion European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) for the 2025–2027 period. The European Commission has earmarked €325 million specifically to support the establishment and initial deployment phases of the EDPCIs.
This initial capital injection is intended to stand up project governance and launch the early stages of development. Furthermore, these projects are positioned to receive subsequent funding through the upcoming European Competitiveness Fund, while national budgets and private industry investments are expected to carry the long-term financial weight of the programmes.
Breakdown of the Five Approved Defence Projects
Drone and Counter-Drone European Resolve (DECODER)
The DECODER project represents the broadest coalition among the five initiatives, involving 26 EU member states alongside Norway and Ukraine, with Malta as the sole absentee. Estimated to cost between €3.5 billion and €5 billion by 2033, DECODER aims to build, scale up, and deploy interoperable unmanned aerial systems and counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (counter-UAS) technology. The project incorporates practical lessons learned from ongoing warfare in Ukraine to address critical operational gaps.
Integrated Maritime and Seabed Defence (IMSD)
Focused on maritime domain awareness and underwater security, the IMSD project brings together 17 countries, including major maritime nations such as France, Germany, Italy, and Poland. With an estimated financial envelope ranging from €43 billion to €72 billion by 2045, the project covers naval combat, interdiction, seabed warfare, and the physical protection of ports, offshore platforms, submarine cables, and pipelines. This initiative addresses vulnerabilities highlighted by recent security incidents in the Baltic and North Seas.
Space-Based Defence Capabilities
The SPACE initiative involves 16 countries dedicated to establishing robust space domain awareness, military satellite communications (SATCOM), intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and signal intelligence (SIGINT). Positioned as a direct building block for a European “space shield,” the project also covers positioning, navigation, timing (PNT), navigation warfare (NAVWAR), and responsive launch capabilities. The projected financial investment reaches up to €24 billion by 2034.
EU Federated Integrated Air and Missile Defence (EU-FIAMD)
The EU-FIAMD project serves as the industrial counterpart to the political European Air Shield concept. Involving 16 participating countries, it aims to develop a federated system-of-systems for collective integrated air and missile defence (IAMD), early warning systems, and the protection of critical infrastructure. The initiative is designed to align closely with ongoing collective defense work alongside NATO structures rather than act as a substitute for them.
Eastern Flank Watch (EFW)
As the most capital-intensive initiative on the agenda, Eastern Flank Watch carries an estimated cost of between €60 billion and €100 billion by 2036. Comprising 13 EU member states, Norway, and Ukraine, the project establishes a persistent surveillance, monitoring, and deterrence architecture along land and air approaches stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The industrial framework specifically incorporates supply-chain integration for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-cap companies.
Broader Context and Ministerial Discussions
The endorsement of the five EDPCIs coincided with a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels, where discussions also centered on ongoing military assistance to Ukraine, broader industrial cooperation, and measures targeting illicit maritime transport operations. Ministers reviewed proposals to address continuing security challenges, airspace violations, and infrastructural sabotage.
In a parallel development announced during the ministerial meetings, the Council of the European Union imposed restrictive measures on 10 individuals and 17 entities linked to the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-occupied territories. These sanctions involve asset freezes and travel bans within the bloc, reflecting concurrent efforts to align diplomatic, financial, and industrial instruments in response to regional security pressures.
