On 28 September 2026, EU Ministers of Defence meeting in the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board approved the further strengthening of the Agency to support the EU’s Defence Readiness 2030 objectives, including a more ambitious defence innovation centre.
“We have approved the next phase for strengthening the European Defence Agency,” said EU High Representative and Head of the Agency Kaja Kallas during her press conference at the end of the Steering Board. “It allows EDA to increase joint procurement and focus more on defence innovation, as well as helping EU countries develop capabilities together. This is what we are pushing for.”
As EU leaders agreed in October 2025 and March 2026, the Agency will be reinforced in innovation, capability development and collaborative procurement. The plans focus on four areas:
- reinforcing research, technology, innovation and experimentation;
- expanding capability development work;
- establishing a collaborative procurement centre;
- strengthening policy support to Member States and in view of external partnerships.
‘Indispensable’ cooperation
The Agency will provide Member States with more robust and actionable proposals for developing collaborative projects. This work will advance the nine Priority Capability Areas and contribute directly to Defence Readiness 2030.
"Strengthening the Agency is not about expanding an institution for its own sake, but about ensuring the EU and its Member States have the tools to work more effectively together on defence at a time when cooperation and collective action are indispensable," said EDA Chief Executive André Denk.
The war in Ukraine shows how quickly new technologies can move from concept to the battlefield. Yet turning Europe's world-class research and innovation into defence capabilities remains a challenge. To help bridge this gap, the Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI) will evolve into the Centre for European Defence Innovation (CEDI), with an expanded role and a structured portfolio of defence innovation activities.
The new EDA collaborative procurement centre will focus on services and off-the-shelf equipment, with the capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously. It will complement, not duplicate, the work of other procurement agencies in Europe.
On human resources, new positions will open in the coming weeks, bringing EDA’s workforce to nearly 300 staff within months, an increase of almost 25%. This is being complemented by further efficiency gains through a review of internal processes, the repurposing of certain functions and the redeployment of staff to priority areas.
Taken together, these measures represent a significant reinforcement of the Agency’s capacity to deliver.
https://eda.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/2026/09/28/eu-member-states-approve-strengthening-of-eda