BRUSSELS / EuroWire / – The European Union has approved a €115 million funding programme designed to speed up defence technology development. The Programme for Agile and Rapid Defence Innovation, known as AGILE, will focus on smaller companies working on emerging and disruptive technologies. The Council of the European Union completed the formal adoption process on October 12. The programme gives start-ups, scale-ups and other eligible firms a dedicated route to finance defence products with shorter development and funding cycles.
AGILE will support both new military technologies and civilian products that companies can adapt for defence use. The programme sets a target of four months for completing grant awards after the application process begins. Supported technologies should move toward defence users within one to three years. Individual grants will range from €1 million to €5 million. The funding rules allow selected projects to receive support covering up to 100% of their eligible costs.
The European Commission expects the programme to finance about 20 to 30 projects during its initial implementation. Eligible companies can claim certain project expenses incurred up to three months before a funding call closes. That provision allows development work to continue during the application period. AGILE will fund mission-focused technology development and activities that help completed products reach defence buyers. The programme also creates faster links between innovative suppliers, testing facilities and established defence companies.
AGILE expands access to defence testing and procurement
Companies selected under AGILE will receive improved access to testing and experimentation infrastructure across participating European countries. The framework also supports links between smaller technology developers and larger defence manufacturers. EU member states will help define programme challenges based on identified defence capability requirements. AGILE also includes simplified procurement measures for products developed through the scheme. Those rules provide another route for funded technologies to move from testing into defence supply chains and operational use.
The programme will accept eligible participants from EU member states and associated countries. Ukraine can take part, along with eligible countries in the European Economic Area and European Free Trade Association. Companies will be able to apply individually where programme rules permit, while consortium applications will remain available. The first call for proposals is expected in early 2027. AGILE is scheduled to become operational after the regulation completes the remaining legal and publication steps.
Final legal steps precede 2027 funding launch
The European Parliament approved the agreed legislation on October 6 after negotiators reached a political deal in July. EU institutions first presented the AGILE proposal in March 2026. Formal adoption now leaves signature and publication before the regulation can take effect. The presidents of the Parliament and Council must sign the text. Publication in the EU Official Journal will follow, with the regulation entering into force 20 days after publication.
AGILE will operate alongside existing European defence research and industrial programmes. Its €115 million budget will concentrate on smaller suppliers and technology companies seeking quicker access to defence funding. The programme combines grants, testing opportunities and procurement pathways within one funding structure. Officials have designed the process around shorter award timelines and faster movement from development to operational customers. The first funding round in 2027 will mark the programme’s entry into active use across participating European markets.