Sept 28 (Reuters) – The member countries of the European Union on Monday approved plans for five pan-European defence projects that cover space, maritime, air and drone defence measures, which will now be eligible for EU funding.
The European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs) allow European countries to work together on large defence initiatives that would be too large or complex to be developed by a single EU member state, the Council of the European Union said in a press release announcing the approvals.
The five projects approved for funding focus on developing counter-drone and drone-defence tactics, as well as on protecting Europe’s eastern flank.
Originally proposed by the European Commission in July, they also include an integrated maritime defence and seabed protection project, an air and missile defence and early warning project, and a space defence project.
“Working in close collaboration with our partners, Norway and Ukraine, together we are taking decisive steps to protect space, our skies, our seas, submarine cables and our citizens who depend on them,” said Helen McEntee, Ireland’s defence minister — who holds the rotating presidency of the Council — in a statement.
As part of the bloc’s European Defence Industry Programme, a budget of €325 million (US$370 million) is allocated to the EDPCIs, with the possibility of more resources being made available in the future.
