C5ISR and other space-related products

This is a call for proposals under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) Common Procurement Actions for joint procurement of C5ISR and other space-related defence capabilities, with actions to be completed by 31 December 2033. The submission system opens 17 June 2026 and the deadline is 16 February 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time, using a single-stage application via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Eligible applicants are consortia of contracting authorities from at least three EU Member States or Norway (may include certain international organisations or SEAP/EDA/OCAR/NSPA as procurement agents), and the estimated value of the common procurement must be at least €20 million. The topic has an indicative allocation of €30 million, a maximum EU contribution per project of €20 million, funding of up to 25% of the estimated procurement value and takes the form of lump sum grants with milestone-based payments.

C5ISR and other space-related products

High-level summary

What this funds

Common procurement actions to purchase C5ISR and other space-related defence products, systems, platforms or variants at any life-cycle stage, including establishing and maintaining defence industrial readiness pools. Actions may be organised as framework contracts and must complete by 31 December 2033. Proposals should target a minimum common procurement value of €20 000 000. ¹

Who can apply:Consortia of contracting authorities from EU Member States and associated countries (newly created for the application or based on frameworks started after 5 March 2024). A binding agreement among participating states and a named procurement agent (national contracting authority, European Defence Agency, SEAP, OCCAR, NSPA or similar) is required.

1. 1Programme: European Defence Fund (EDF) under EDIP common procurement actions
2. 2Type of action: EDF Lump Sum Grants (EDF-LS)
3. 3Opening date: 17 June 2026; Deadline: 16 February 2027, 17:00 Brussels time
4. 4Minimum procurement value per action: €20 000 000
5. 5Call-level indicative contribution: €150 000 000 (budget for related CPA topics)

Applications follow the single-stage model. Full eligibility, admissibility, evaluation, legal and financial conditions are detailed in the call document and application templates available on the Funding & Tenders Portal. For call support contact DEFIS-EDIP-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Call documents, application form templates and Model Grant Agreements will be published on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page; see the official topic page EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

C5ISR and other space-related products — EDF EDIP 2nd Call (Common Procurement Actions)

Call summary and administrative details

Core facts

Opportunity Title: C5ISR and other space-related products. Call Identifier: EDF-EDIP-P. Programme: European Defence Fund (EDF) under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP). Type of action: EDF-LS EDF Lump Sum Grants. Type of Model Grant Agreement: EDF Lump Sum Grant [EDF-AG-LS]. Deadline (submission): 16 February 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time. Planned opening date of submission system: 17 June 2026. Deadline model: single-stage. Latest allowed completion date for actions: 31 December 2033. Total indicative budget for the set of common procurement actions in the 2nd call: €150,000,000 across related topics within the call. Individual procurement proposals must have an estimated value of at least €20,000,000 to be eligible under this topic.

Expected impact:Proposals should support common procurement among Member States and associated countries, strengthen cooperation and interoperability, and contribute to the development and reinforcement of C5ISR and other space-related defence products and participating entities' capabilities.

Objective:Support common procurement leading to stronger cooperation among Member States and associated countries, greater interoperability, and the development and procurement of common platforms and subsystems for C5ISR and other space-related defence products.

Scope and eligible activities:Common procurement actions must consist of activities related to cooperation of legal entities in the procurement of C5ISR or other space-related defence products and systems at any lifecycle point, including establishing, managing and maintaining defence industrial readiness pools. Eligible actions are common procurement of systems or variants of systems. Procurement can be organised as a framework contract. Procurement must be based on a binding agreement signed by participating Member States and associated countries and appoint a procurement agent. The cooperation may be newly created in the context of the application or based on an existing framework provided that activities under such framework did not start before 5 March 2024 and are not completed before the grant agreement signature.

Structured answers to categorisation and eligibility questions

Eligible Applicant Types:Primary eligible applicants: contracting authorities of Member States and associated countries, consortia of national contracting authorities, Structures for European Armament Programme (SEAP), international organisations authorised by participating states (for example the European Defence Agency, OCCAR, NSPA), and legal entities participating in a procurement cooperation that is implemented via a procurement agent. Indirectly relevant parties: industry suppliers, defence manufacturers and other legal entities will be part of the procurement supply chain but the call is targeted to public contracting authorities or equivalent entities acting as procurers and their formal cooperation structures.

Funding Type:Primary financial mechanism: grant in the form of EDF Lump Sum Grants (lump sum grant model). The funding supports costs related to preparing and executing common procurement actions; procurement of defence products themselves is organised through the binding procurement agreement and procurement agent; the EU contribution is provided via lump sum grants to support the common procurement action.

Consortium Requirement:A consortium-like cooperation is required: the action must involve participating Member States and associated countries entering into a binding agreement and appointing a procurement agent. This implies multiple participating contracting authorities (consortium of contracting authorities) rather than a single applicant. SEAPs or international organisations may act as applicants where eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Geographic eligibility: Member States of the European Union and associated countries as defined in the call document and EDIP regulation. The EDIP programme also explicitly references Norway and Ukraine across EDIP activities; for this Common Procurement Actions topic, eligible participating entities include Member States and associated countries as specified in section 6 of the call document. Exact eligibility lists and any third country provisions are specified in the official call document and must be consulted by applicants ¹.

Target Sector:Sectors targeted: defence sector with a specific focus on C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and space-related defence products and systems. The call also concerns defence industrial readiness, procurement of platforms and subsystems, and interoperability across defence platforms. This falls under defence, space, C5ISR systems, and related defence industrial supply chains.

Mentioned Countries:Explicit countries and regions referenced: European Union Member States, associated countries (including explicit references in EDIP to Norway and Ukraine in other parts of EDIP). The call text notes participation by Member States and associated countries; Norway and Ukraine are mentioned as associated participants in EDIP materials. Specific eligible country lists are contained in the call document and call annexes ¹.

Project Stage (Expected maturity):Expected maturity: procurement-ready actions or procurement programmes at any point in the lifecycle are eligible, including defined procurements of systems or variants, frameworks for future procurement, or preparation activities to set up binding procurement agreements. The requirement for a minimum procurement estimated value (€20,000,000) indicates projects at advanced planning/implementation stage rather than early research-only ideas.

Funding Amount:Budget context and minimum thresholds: The overall indicative budget for the package of CPA topics in the 2nd call is €150,000,000. For a proposal under this topic the estimated value of the common procurement proposed must be at least €20,000,000. The call documents for common procurement actions provide details on the maximum EU contribution per project and the exact lump sum rules; applicants should consult the call document for exact lump sum amounts and maximum grant per action ¹.

Application Type:Submission method: open call on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, single-stage. Applicants must submit electronically via the Portal once the submission system opens (planned 17 June 2026). The call is not invitation only; partner search functionality is available on the Portal.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries receive monetary support (grant) in the form of lump sum payments under EDF Lump Sum Grants. Non-monetary support such as technical guidance, templates and online manuals are provided by the Funding & Tenders Portal, and procurement of defence products is executed through the procurement agent under contractual arrangements; the grant supports the common procurement action rather than direct procurement of goods by the European Commission.

Application Stages:Single-stage submission and evaluation model is used for this topic. The portal lists standard procedural steps: submission, admissibility checks, evaluation against award criteria, and grant award and signature phases. The call documentation and Online Manual describe the detailed sequence and timeline.

Success Rates:No explicit success rate is published in the call text. Success rates depend on budget, number and quality of proposals and topic-specific competition. Applicants should assume competitive selection and prepare proposals that strictly follow eligibility, minimum procurement value (€20,000,000) and award criteria set out in the call document.

Co-funding Requirement:Co-funding details are governed by the call document and the Lump Sum Grant model. The EDIP programme for common procurement actions previously indicated grants up to €20 million per project for consortia of contracting authorities (in related CPA calls). The lump sum approach implies fixed amounts tied to deliverables; specific co-funding requirements or percentages, where applicable, are detailed in the call document and the model grant agreement. Applicants must consult section 10 and the MGA for legal and financial set-up and any co-funding obligations ¹.

Legal and administrative eligibility conditions:Admissibility conditions such as page limits and layout, eligible countries and other eligibility, financial and operational capacity, exclusion rules, evaluation processes, award criteria, and indicative timelines are described in the call document and Online Manual. Applicants must follow Part B of the Application Form in the Submission System and the call document sections 5 to 10 for full requirements ¹.

Application templates and structure:Application templates: The Application Form (Part A and Part B) and supporting templates will be available in the Submission System shortly. The call refers applicants to: the Application Form Part B for page limits and layout; the Model Grant Agreement (EDF-AG-LS) for contractual terms; and additional reference documents such as the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation and Financial Capacity Assessment, the Annotated Model Grant Agreement and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual. Applicants should prepare to complete: Part A (administrative and budgetary data), Part B (technical description, procurement plan, timeline, deliverables, procurement binding agreement description), and required annexes (legal documents, procurement agent identification, signed cooperation agreements or draft agreements). Exact field names and required annexes will be available in the Application Form templates in the Portal.

1. 1Prepare a binding cooperation agreement template signed (or to be signed) by participating Member States and associated countries describing roles, procurement agent appointment, procurement scope, and commitment to proceed with the procurement.
2. 2Identify and document the procurement agent (contracting authority, EDA, SEAP, OCCAR, NSPA or other eligible procurement agent) and include evidence of authority to execute the procurement.
3. 3Provide a procurement plan with an estimated procurement value at or above €20,000,000, procurement timeline aligned with completion by 31 December 2033, and description of framework contract or contract modalities where applicable.
4. 4Complete Application Form Part A and Part B according to the Submission System templates, respecting page limits and layout instructions in Part B.
5. 5Submit financial and operational capacity evidence and comply with exclusion rules as described in the call document (section 7 and related annexes).
6. 6Ensure cooperation activities did not start before 5 March 2024, or if based on an existing framework, confirm that activities under that framework did not start before that date and are not completed prior to grant signature.

Key procedural references and documents: applicants must consult the official Call Document, Application Form templates available in the Submission System, the Model Grant Agreement EDF-AG-LS, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, the Annotated Model Grant Agreement and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual for full legal, financial and administrative details. Contact for help: DEFIS-EDIP-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu ¹.

How to prepare a compliant proposal (practical checklist)

1. 1Verify applicant eligibility and that all participating contracting authorities are from Member States or associated countries as specified in the call document.
2. 2Ensure the cooperation arrangement is established in the context of the application or verify that an existing framework complies with the start/completion date restrictions (activities under it did not start before 5 March 2024 and are not completed before grant signature).
3. 3Assemble the binding procurement agreement (or a fully drafted template to be signed) between participating states/associated countries and appoint a procurement agent; include proof of procurement agent authority.
4. 4Define the procurement scope, justify how it fills capability gaps and strengthens interoperability, and show the estimated procurement value (>= €20,000,000).
5. 5Prepare the Application Form Part B technical description: objectives, expected impact, procurement plan, lifecycle coverage, industrial readiness pool arrangements where relevant, timetable, deliverables and risk mitigation.
6. 6Collect required legal and financial documentation for the applicants (LEA R appointment, legal entity validation evidence, financial capacity where required) and follow exclusion rules.
7. 7Follow page limits and layout as specified in Part B of the Application Form when finalising the proposal.
8. 8Register and submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal within the deadline; use Portal partner search if needed to find cooperating contracting authorities or procurement agents.

Summary explanation: This opportunity provides financial support under the European Defence Fund to Member States and associated countries to set up and carry out common procurement actions for C5ISR and space-related defence products. The call targets cooperating contracting authorities (or equivalent international structures) to enter into binding procurement agreements and appoint a procurement agent to execute procurements with an estimated procurement value of at least €20,000,000. Funding is delivered as EDF lump sum grants; the submission is single-stage via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The objective is to strengthen cross-border cooperation, interoperability and the defence industrial base by enabling joint procurements, including the creation and management of defence industrial readiness pools, framework contracts and procurement of systems or variants. Applicants must follow detailed eligibility, admissibility, financial and legal requirements set out in the official call document and related templates and must ensure actions complete by 31 December 2033. For procedural questions and document releases consult the Funding & Tenders Portal and contact DEFIS-EDIP-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call documents, application form templates and the Model Grant Agreement are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page for EDF-EDIP-P at ec.europa.eu. Consult section 5 to 10 of the call document for admissibility, eligibility, financial capacity, evaluation, award criteria and legal/financial set-up.

C5ISR and Other Space-Related Products - Common Procurement Action

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is a second call for proposals under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) Common Procurement Actions (CPA) component, specifically targeting the joint procurement of C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and space-related defence capabilities. The call aims to strengthen cooperation among EU Member States and associated countries while increasing interoperability and developing common defence platforms and subsystems ¹.

Call Timeline and Submission Details

Opening Date:17 June 2026

Submission Deadline:16 February 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time

Submission Model:Single-stage submission

Project Completion Deadline:31 December 2033

Funding Information

Total Budget Allocation:€30 million for this specific topic within the second call for proposals ²

Maximum EU Contribution per Project:€20 million ³

Funding Rate:Up to 25 percent of the estimated value of the common procurement contracts ⁴

Form of Funding:Grants with financing not linked to costs. Payments are made following the achievement of predefined milestones ⁵.

Eligible Applicants

Only consortia of contracting authorities from at least 3 EU Member States or Norway are eligible for CPA funding. Eligible consortia may also include international organisations and the European Defence Agency (EDA), or Structures for European Armament Programmes (SEAP) ⁶. This call is specifically designed for national contracting authorities, not for private companies or research institutions.

Scope and Eligible Activities

Common procurement actions under this topic consist of activities related to the cooperation of legal entities in the procurement of C5ISR or other space-related defence products and systems at any point in the life cycle of such defence products. Eligible activities include establishing, managing and maintaining defence industrial readiness pools ⁷.

Eligible Products and Systems:

• Sensors and assets for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
• Cyber defence products
• Communication and networking systems
• Command and control systems
• Galileo-enabled equipment
• Systems for space domain awareness
• Countering jamming and spoofing capabilities
• In-space operations and services
• Other sovereign capabilities complementing the EU Space programme

Minimum Procurement Value:The estimated value of a common procurement proposed for actions under this topic shall be at least €20 million ⁸. This minimum threshold ensures that projects address significant capability gaps and reinforce meaningful cooperation among Member States and associated countries.

Procurement Structure and Requirements

The procurement shall be based on a binding agreement to be signed by the participating Member States and associated countries with a procurement agent appointed by those Member States and associated countries. The procurement agent may be contracting authorities of Member States or associated countries, the European Defence Agency (EDA), a Structure for European Armament Programme (SEAP), or other international organisations including the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) or the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) ⁹.

Eligible Actions:Common procurement of systems or variants of systems. The common procurement can be organised as a framework contract ¹⁰.

Cooperation Framework:The cooperation shall be newly created in the context of the application to the call topic or based on an existing framework, provided that the activities under such cooperation framework did not start before 5 March 2024 and have not been completed before the signature of the grant agreement ¹¹.

Expected Results and Impact

The results of the activities should contribute to support common procurement, leading to strengthening the cooperation among Member States and associated countries, as well as to greater interoperability. Furthermore, they should contribute to the development and reinforcement of C5ISR and space-related products of the participants ¹².

Implementation and Management

The actions will be implemented directly by the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) ¹³. This call is part of the broader EDIP work programme for 2026-2027, which channels €1.467 billion in EU funding into joint procurement, defence industrial ramp-up, European projects of common interest and support for Ukraine's defence industrial base ¹⁴.

Contextual Information

This second call for CPA is part of EDIP's broader strategy to reduce fragmentation of the European defence market and increase interoperability. The first CPA call (submission deadline 13 October 2026) addressed counter-drone systems and ammunition. This second call (submission deadline 16 February 2027) addresses three topics: air and missile defence systems (€60 million), ground and naval platforms and systems (€60 million), and C5ISR and other space-related products (€30 million) ¹⁵.

The CPA component extends the intervention logic of the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA) launched in 2023, which invested €300 million and leveraged over €11 billion of common procurement by Member States ¹⁶.

Key Contacts and Support

For questions related to this call, applicants should contact DEFIS-EDIP-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu. Additional guidance is available through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal, including the Online Manual, FAQ sections, and IT Helpdesk support for technical submission issues.

Important Considerations for Applicants

• Applicants must ensure they meet all admissibility conditions including proposal page limits and layout requirements as described in the call document
• Financial and operational capacity assessment will be conducted in accordance with EU regulations
• Evaluation will follow predefined award criteria and scoring thresholds detailed in the call document
• Call documents, application form templates, and Model Grant Agreements are available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal
• Applicants should review the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 and Rules for Legal Entity Validation before submission
• The submission system will open on 17 June 2026 and close on 16 February 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time

Footnotes

1. 1Source: European Commission C(2026) 2174 final and EU Funding and Tenders Portal topic description for EDF-EDIP-P
2. 2Source: European Commission C(2026) 2174 final, page 9, indicating €30 million allocation for C5ISR and other space-related products topic
3. 3Source: EDIP Common Procurement Actions factsheet and 2eu.brussels news article stating maximum EU contribution of €20 million per project
4. 4Source: EDIP Common Procurement Actions factsheet indicating funding up to 25 percent of estimated value of common procurement contracts
5. 5Source: EDIP Common Procurement Actions factsheet describing grant form with financing not linked to costs and milestone-based payments
6. 6Source: EDIP Common Procurement Actions factsheet specifying eligibility requirements for consortia of contracting authorities
7. 7Source: European Commission C(2026) 2174 final describing scope of common procurement actions
8. 8Source: Opportunity metadata and European Commission C(2026) 2174 final specifying minimum €20 million procurement value
9. 9Source: Opportunity metadata describing procurement agent eligibility and binding agreement requirements
10. 10Source: Opportunity metadata and European Commission C(2026) 2174 final describing eligible actions and framework contract options
11. 11Source: Opportunity metadata specifying cooperation framework requirements and date restrictions
12. 12Source: Opportunity metadata and European Commission C(2026) 2174 final describing expected results and impact
13. 13Source: European Commission C(2026) 2174 final indicating implementation by Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space
14. 14Source: 2eu.brussels article on EU allocation of €1.47 billion to defence industry describing EDIP work programme scope
15. 15Source: EDIP Common Procurement Actions factsheet and 2eu.brussels article detailing first and second call topics and budgets
16. 16Source: EDIP Common Procurement Actions factsheet referencing EDIRPA predecessor programme results