The Council of the European Union formally approved a €115 million defence innovation programme on Monday, aimed at helping smaller companies turn emerging technologies into operational capabilities more quickly.
The initiative, known as AGILE, will provide targeted financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises, including start-ups and scale-ups, developing innovative defence products.
The programme focuses on developing and testing technologies, including adapting civilian innovations for defence applications. Its central purpose is to help companies overcome the gap between building a prototype and producing technology ready for practical use.
The Council described AGILE as a complement to the EU’s existing defence industrial instruments, providing a faster and more focused funding mechanism for emerging products.
Monday’s adoption follows a provisional agreement between the Council and European Parliament on July 15, and Parliament’s approval on October 6. It completes another legislative step in the bloc’s efforts to strengthen its defence technology base.
The programme is expected to become operational in early 2027, according to the Council’s defence funding information. Approval therefore establishes the initiative, while its practical results will depend on the projects funded and their progress toward deployment.
