Parliament approves new AGILE programme for defence innovation

MEPs approved on Tuesday the creation of the Agile and rapid innovation in defence programme (AGILE), a new EUR 115 million instrument designed to give rapid, agile and targeted financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) -- including start-ups and scale-ups -- developing emerging and disruptive defence technologies. Parliament and Council negotiators provisionally agreed on the programme in July 2026. The programme is designed to boost innovation through fast grants and access to testing and certification. It also lets Member States get involved in setting the challenges, to make sure the products developed meet their capability needs. AGILE will focus on SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups working on emerging and disruptive defence products, including adapting civilian technologies for defence uses, to help narrow the gap between development and deployment. It offers an accelerated four-month grant award procedure, reinforcing AGILE as an agile complement to the EU's existing defence-industry toolbox. It will also help connect SMEs with the defence industry's so-called "prime contractors," including through targeted matchmaking, to increase the uptake of AGILE-supported products. Tonino Picula (S&D, Croatia), rapporteur for the Security and Defence Committee, said: "With AGILE, we are speeding up the path from innovation to deployment, while strengthening our SMEs, ensuring support for Ukraine, reinforcing safeguards against strategic dependencies, boosting security of supply and providing solid oversight to help shape future EU defence initiatives." Ivars Ijabs (Renew, Latvia), rapporteur for the Industry, Research and Energy Committee, said: "Europe cannot afford to be slow when the threat is fast. AGILE is our answer: get funding out quickly, cut red tape, and firmly close the door on those who do not share our values. Innovation is Europe's strength. Let's finally use it." Next steps: the law was adopted with 536 votes in favour, 101 against and 16 abstentions. It must now be formally approved by the Council before publication in the Official Journal. The programme will become operational in early 2027. Background: the EU already has a substantial defence-innovation framework, aimed mainly at long-term, large-scale projects. AGILE addresses the fact that emerging and disruptive technologies -- including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, cyber capabilities and space systems -- are increasingly decisive for military effectiveness, with an emphasis on cost-efficiency and on reducing strategic dependencies on non-associated third countries.