BRUSSELS / EuroWire / – The European Union has launched a €115 million initiative aimed at accelerating advancements in defence technology across its member states. The Programme for Agile and Rapid Defence Innovation, known as AGILE, will be directed towards supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, including start-ups and scale-ups. The Council of the European Union officially approved the regulation on October 12 after completing the legislative process. This programme focuses on emerging and disruptive technologies that can transition swiftly from development to practical defence applications.
Funding through AGILE will cover the creation and testing of innovative defence solutions, including civilian technologies adapted for military use. The initiative aims to award grants within four months of application submission. EU officials anticipate that supported innovations will reach defence forces within a timeframe of one to three years. Grant amounts will range from €1 million to €5 million, providing smaller firms with direct funding opportunities for projects aligned with the programme’s criteria.
The European Commission projects that approximately 20 to 30 projects will be supported during the initial phase of AGILE. Selected initiatives may receive funding covering up to 100% of eligible expenses. Furthermore, companies can claim qualifying costs incurred up to three months prior to the call’s closing date. The work programme will encompass mission-oriented product development and market deployment activities, facilitating the movement of defence solutions from prototype to operational use and procurement channels.
Rapid funding for smaller defence enterprises
Companies backed by AGILE will benefit from expedited access to testing and experimentation facilities across Europe. The framework also facilitates matchmaking opportunities between smaller innovators and major defence manufacturers. EU member states will contribute to defining programme challenges to ensure that the funded work addresses identified capability gaps. Additionally, the rules include simplified procurement procedures for supported products, creating pathways for successful projects to transition from testing phases into defence supply chains and operational deployment within European markets.
The first call for proposals is planned for early 2027, coinciding with the programme’s operational launch. Eligible participants will include companies from EU member states and associated countries, with Ukraine and nations in the European Economic Area and European Free Trade Association also eligible. Both individual companies and consortia can apply, with the latter allowed under the framework for eligible projects.
Implementation set for early 2027
The European Parliament approved the final version of the regulation in a plenary vote on October 6 following a political agreement reached in July. The EU first introduced AGILE in March 2026 as a dedicated instrument to facilitate faster development of defence technologies. The current approval process finalizes the legal steps needed before the programme’s rollout. The regulation must be signed by the presidents of the Parliament and Council before being published in the EU Official Journal, after which it will enter into force 20 days later.
AGILE will supplement existing EU initiatives aimed at supporting defence research, industrial development, and technology adoption. Its €115 million budget fits within the current EU financial framework, with a particular focus on supporting smaller and emerging defence suppliers. The funding approach combines rapid grant decisions, testing access, and pathways into procurement for selected projects. The programme’s goal is to reduce the time from promising technological development to operational deployment for European defence systems across participating countries.