Commissioners Schmit and Breton have officially launched the Pact for Skills, a central element of the European Skills Agenda. They have also announced the first European skills partnerships in key industrial ecosystems – automotive, microelectronics, and aerospace and defence industries.
Defence industries
The European Commission will organise a remote information event on the European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP) on 22 June 2020 from 09.30 to 13.00. Registration is open from 20 May (12.00) to 15 June (23.59).
Business Planet heads to Estonia to see how firms in the country's defence and security sector are unleashing a wave of innovation through cooperation.
The European defence skills partnership (EDSP) is entering a new phase in 2020.
The European Commission organised an information event on the call topic PADR-FDDT-OPEN-03-2019 'challenging the future' in Brussels on 24 June 2019 between 14:30 to 18:00. Web streaming was also available.
The European Commission will host an information day on the European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP) in Brussels on 22 May 2019, from 08.30 to 17.00. Registration is possible from 24 April (12.00) until 15 May (23.59).
The European Commission has published guidance on cooperative defence procurement to help EU countries apply the Defence Procurement Directive (Directive 2009/81/EC) consistently and make use of all the cooperation possibilities it offers. This will facilitate EU countries' participation in collaborative defence projects under the future European defence fund and its current precursor programmes.
The Commission has today adopted work programmes to co-finance joint defence industrial projects in 2019-2020 worth up to €500 million. A further €25 million have been earmarked to support collaborative defence research projects in 2019, with calls for proposals launched today.
The European Commission adopted the 2019 Financing Decision for the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) on 19 March. It includes descriptions of 4 topics for which calls for proposals will be launched later this month.
The European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP), established by Regulation (EU) 2018/1092, is an industrial programme of the EU aiming to support the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the union’s defence industry.
The EU institutions have reached a partial political agreement on the European Defence Fund, subject to formal approval by the European Parliament and Council, which will foster an innovative and competitive defence industrial base and contribute to the EU's strategic autonomy.
Today (5 February 2019), new rules to ensure that alarm and signal weapons cannot be converted into real firearms and to establish clear technical specifications on firearms’ marking enter into force. In addition, the Commission also put forward new rules improving the way EU countries exchange information on transfers of firearms. They are currently being examined by the European Parliament and the Council. By setting stricter rules on firearms, the Commission aims to improve the security of EU citizens.
The Commission's European Defence Fund is presenting the first 3 documents from its financial toolbox focused on acquisition and financing.
Defence is one of the eligible sectors under the 2019 Erasmus+ call for Sector Skills Alliances Lot 3, published on 24 October. A successful proposal will be awarded a €4 million grant for 4 years.
The Commission wants SMEs to take full advantage of the European Defence Fund (EDF). With this in mind, we’re publishing a brochure to spread the word about the opportunities the EDF offers SMEs.
The latest episode of Business Planet visits Vigo, Spain to learn about OCEAN 2020 - a program that supports research and development through a consortium led by Leonardo Industries, in the framework of the EU defence fund.
The aim is to collect and analyse data within the European Commission's project on 'Defence Related Skills'.
On 19 June, Brussels will be the location for the 'Launch of the European Defence Skills Partnership' conference.