The European Commission has amended the European Defence Fund (EDF) Work Programme for 2026 to align it with a new regulation and to reflect changes to the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP).
The changes introduce simplified procedures for calls related to “disruptive technologies for defence”, a term it used for research and development that could significantly alter how defence capabilities are developed or used, the Commission announced on Wednesday.
Applications for the relevant calls have been cut to half their previous length.
The number of award criteria has also been reduced, and the evaluation process for proposals under those calls has been streamlined.
STEP changes and Ukraine association
STEP now includes a fourth investment area covering defence technologies, the Commission said.
STEP is an EU platform designed to channel funding towards “strategic technologies”, it added.
Close to €24 billion of EU funding has been channelled to strategic technologies under the STEP banner since it came into force in March 2024.
The Commission also said that “almost all” high-quality EDF proposals will be awarded a STEP Seal, which it described as providing access to complementary funding opportunities under STEP.
The new Regulation (EU) 2025/2653 — known as the “Mini-Omnibus” — also formally paves the way for Ukraine to become an EDF-associated country, pending negotiations in line with the general association agreement with Ukraine.
The EDF has been in place since the EDF Regulation came into force in May 2021, and the Commission has committed almost €6.5 billion in total since then.
