European Defence Fund 2025: Key Conditions and Features
Project Budget
Each call for proposals has an allocated budget, which is divided among various topics and action categories. Topic budgets range from EUR 2 mln to EUR 79 mln.
Thematic Categories of Activities and Indicative Budget Allocation (in million euros)
| Defence Medical Response, CBRN, Biotech, and Human Factors | 35 mln. EUR |
| Information Superiority (C4ISR) | 39 mln. EUR |
| Advanced Passive and Active Sensors | 58.5 mln. EUR |
| Cyber Defence | 54 mln. EUR |
| Space Capabilities | 115 mln. EUR |
| Digital Transformation | 27 mln. EUR |
| Energy Resilience and Environmental Transition | 93 mln. EUR |
| Materials and Components | 25 mln. EUR |
| Air Combat | 103 mln. EUR |
| Ground Combat | 192 mln. EUR |
| Force Protection and Mobility | 35 mln. EUR |
| Naval Combat | 54 mln. EUR |
| Underwater Warfare | 45 mln. EUR |
| Simulation and Training | 43 mln. EUR |
| Disruptive Technologies | 43 mln. EUR |
| Non-thematic Calls for SMEs and Research Organisations | 67 mln. EUR |
Eligible applicants:
- Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
- Research Organisations
- Larger Defence Industry Players
- Entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries
- Entities from Ukraine (as third parties for a limited number of calls for proposals)
Funding rates
Research Actions: 100% of eligible costs.
Development Actions: Baseline funding rates vary from 20% to 90% of eligible costs, with potential bonuses for projects under the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), SME involvement, and mid-cap participation
Consortium Requirements
Consortia must include at least three eligible legal entities from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries. For projects focusing on disruptive technologies, smaller consortia (with at least two entities from EU Member States or Associated Countries) are permitted.
Ukrainian entities are now eligible to participate as third parties, recognizing their valuable battlefield experience and potential contributions to the European defence technological and industrial base.
Eligible Activities (distributed according to the type of activity - research actions and development actions)
- Generating knowledge
- Integrating knowledge
- Studies, such as feasibility studies
- Design
- System prototyping
- Testing
- Qualification
- Certification
- Increasing efficiency
Expected deadline for submission: 16 October 2025
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