The European Parliament and the European Council reached an agreement on Thursday evening on the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP).
The agreement marks a move towards a unified European defence strategy, while encouraging joint procurement of equipment for Ukraine.
The programme allocates a budget of €1.5 billion until 2027, aiming to boost production capacity and collaboration among European defence firms. Member States will have a shared platform to jointly purchase, develop, and manufacture military equipment.
The initiative also seeks to reduce the EU’s reliance on external suppliers.
The defence programme was proposed by the European Commission in 2023 to speed up the delivery of equipment to Ukraine.
