EUROPEAN DEFENCE FUND (EDF) – Non-thematic actions targeting disruptive technologies for defence – 2026

Objective

To fund proposals that can deliver disruptive technologies for defence: this refers to enhanced or entirely new technologies that bring about a radical change, including a paradigm shift in the concept and conduct of defence affairs.

Among financed actions

• Activities that aim to create, underpin and improve knowledge, products and technologies, including disruptive technologies
• Activities that aim to increase interoperability and resilience to master critical defence technologies, to strengthen the security of supply or to enable the effective exploitation of results for defence products and technologies
• Studies
• Design of a defence product
• Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologies

Eligibility

• Be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• Be established in one of the eligible countries:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories)
  • Non-EU countries: listed EEA countries and countries associated to the EDF Programme (‘EDF associated countries’; list of participating countries)
• Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register before submitting the proposal
• A consortium composed of minimum 2 independent applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 2 different eligible countries must be constituted

Additional information

• Initial duration of the action: between 12 and 24 months

Projects of longer duration may be accepted in duly justified cases. Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.

• Contact: DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu

Useful

• Guidelines: Click here
• Other call documents: Click here
• DG website: Click here
• More information: Click here

• Total budget of the call: 27 million euros
• Amount of the grant: up to 3 million euros

The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.

• Funding rate: 100% of the total eligible costs

This grant is a lump sum grant.