Non-thematic actions targeting disruptive technologies for defence

This call under the European Defence Fund 2026 work programme supports non-thematic projects developing disruptive defence technologies (minimum TRL 4) that demonstrate paradigm‑shifting impact and rapid time‑to‑market. The indicative topic budget is €27,000,000 with a maximum EU contribution of €3,000,000 per project delivered as lump sum grants reimbursing completed work packages at 100%. Multi‑beneficiary proposals are required with at least two independent beneficiaries from two eligible countries and applications must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 29 September 2026 (17:00 CET).

Non-thematic actions targeting disruptive technologies for defence

What the call funds

Competitive projects that develop or integrate disruptive knowledge, products or technologies for defence applications (minimum TRL 4). Actions must demonstrate clear disruptive impact for armed forces, aim for rapid time-to-market and target activities combining knowledge generation or integration with design or lifecycle efficiency improvements.

Funding per project:Maximum EU contribution per selected proposal: €3,000,000. Indicative overall topic budget: €27,000,000 ¹.

Duration and timing:Expected project duration typically 12–24 months (other durations possible with justification). Submission opens 15 April 2026; deadline 29 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time.

Who can apply

Multi-beneficiary proposals are required. Eligible applicants are legal entities established and with executive management in EU Member States or EDF-associated countries (e.g. Norway); affiliated entities and subcontractors must meet the same eligibility rules. Participation by entities outside eligible countries is possible only under strict conditions and normally without EDF funding.

1. 1Minimum consortium: at least 2 independent applicants from 2 different eligible countries (check call for exact consortium rules).
2. 2Eligible participants: companies (including SMEs and mid-caps), research organisations, public bodies and other legal entities established in eligible countries.
3. 3Actions may include financial support to third parties (FSTP) within call ceilings and conditions.

Scope and selection focus

Proposals must show radical/transformative effects on defence operations or capabilities (operational readiness, decision-making, addressing emerging threats). Eligible activities include generating or integrating knowledge combined with design or increasing lifecycle efficiency. Proposals must set measurable technical goals and metrics and focus on rapid exploitation.

Management mode: action implemented in indirect management by the European Defence Agency (EDA) in some cases; grants are EDF Lump Sum Grants (LS-DIS). Evaluation uses excellence, innovation and implementation criteria with defined thresholds.

Apply through the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page for EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT (full call documents, templates and submission forms available on the Portal). For contact on proposal matters use DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu. Visit the topic page: Call page.

Footnotes

1. 1See the official call documentation and topic fiche on the Funding & Tenders Portal for full conditions, eligibility rules, templates and security/ethics requirements: EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT Topic.

Non-thematic actions targeting disruptive technologies for defence (EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT)

This is a forthcoming single-stage call for proposals under the European Defence Fund 2026 Work Programme. It targets disruptive technologies for defence, seeking projects that clearly demonstrate radical impact on defence applications, accelerate time-to-market, and deliver a technological edge for European armed forces. Proposals must address knowledge, products or technologies in any defence area at TRL 4 or higher, combine specific eligible activity types, and be designed for short implementation cycles of 12 to 24 months. The indicative topic budget is €27,000,000, with EU contributions per project capped at €3,000,000. The call opens on 15 April 2026 and closes on 29 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

Primary reference:Official topic page: EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT Topic Page.

Key Dates and Management

• Planned opening date: 15 April 2026
• Deadline: 29 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time
• Deadline model: Single-stage submission
• Indicative evaluation window: September 2026 to March 2027
• Information on results: March 2027
• Target grant agreement signature: By 31 December 2027
• Management: Implemented by the European Commission (DG DEFIS). The Commission may subsequently entrust management of some selected projects to the European Defence Agency (EDA); topic page also references potential indirect management by EDA.

Scope and Technical Focus

Proposals must demonstrate disruptive impact in defence, enabling radical improvements in capability, decision-making, operational readiness, and response to emerging threats. They must embrace genuine disruption to secure technological superiority against potential adversaries and clearly show how the solution would be disruptive in realistic military operations.

• Minimum TRL: 4 at start of the action
• Areas: Open to any defence-relevant area, with examples including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, autonomous systems, robotics, and advanced materials
• Output orientation: Create, develop, or improve a defence technology or product that can replace or render obsolete existing defence technologies
• Time-to-market: Actions should be designed for rapid transition to market or validation in operational environments
• Target functionalities: Applicants should define measurable technical goals and metrics to track achievement

Mandatory activity combination:Projects must include at least one of a) Generating knowledge or b) Integrating knowledge, combined with one of d) Design or i) Increasing efficiency. Activities e) Prototyping, f) Testing, g) Qualification, and h) Certification are not eligible under this topic.

Illustrative activities within each mandatory block:Generating knowledge: collect and interpret battlefield or realistic exercise data; refine experience; identify disruptive concepts building on TRL 4–5; combine knowledge and identify breakthrough effects. Integrating knowledge: frame multi-disciplinary problems; map domains, theories, and methods; reconcile overlaps and gaps; deliver new synergies. Design: apply innovative concepts to adapt or re-design for drastic improvement; use data and observations to optimize or change design; provide alternative concepts. Increasing efficiency: evaluate and reduce time/labour waste and redundancies; increase autonomy; reduce operational dependencies.

Funding, Budget and Duration

• Form of funding: Lump Sum Grants for Non-thematic Disruptive Actions (EDF-LS)
• Funding rate: 100% of lump sum per approved work package
• Maximum EU contribution per project: €3,000,000
• Indicative topic budget: €27,000,000
• Number of grants: Several proposals may be funded
• Project duration: 12 to 24 months; longer durations possible if duly justified
• Equipment cost rule: Depreciation only
• Indirect costs: 25% flat-rate of eligible direct costs (A–D, with exclusions) or actual indirect costs with methodology declaration
• Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP): Allowed up to 5% of the requested EU contribution; max €60,000 per third party; aims to involve innovators, primarily SMEs and start-ups

Eligibility, Consortium, and Geographic Rules

• Eligible applicants: Legal entities (public or private) established in EU Member States (including OCTs) or EDF associated countries; executive management must be in eligible countries; must not be controlled by a non-associated third country/entity unless approved guarantees are provided by the Member State or associated country
• Natural persons: Not eligible, except self-employed sole traders without separate legal personality
• International organisations: Not eligible unless composed exclusively of EU/associated countries and management located in an eligible country
• Minimum consortium: Multi-beneficiary applications are mandatory; at least 2 independent applicants from 2 different eligible countries
• Subcontractors involved and associated partners: Must meet establishment and control conditions; associated partners from non-eligible or controlled by non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate without funding if strict conditions are met and approved
• Assets, infrastructure, facilities, resources: Must be located/held in eligible countries; exceptional use of non-eligible locations may be authorised but is not eligible for reimbursement
• Geographic activity: Project activities must take place in eligible countries

Security, Ethics and IPR

• Security: Projects involving classified information undergo security scrutiny and must follow a Security Aspects Letter (SAL) annexed to the Grant Agreement; FSC/PSC may be required; EU TOP SECRET cannot be funded; handling rules apply up to SECRET and CONFIDENTIAL; special provisions for subcontracting classified tasks and disclosing classified information
• Ethics: All projects must comply with highest ethical standards and applicable EU/international/national law; ethics self-assessment is required
• IPR and background/results: Background lists and results free from third-country control are required; ownership, protection, transfer, licensing, and access rights are governed by EDF rules in the Model Grant Agreement
• Policy compliance: Projects must align with EU policy interests and priorities; exclude prohibited technologies (e.g., lethal autonomous weapons without meaningful human control, except defensive early warning/countermeasures)

Evaluation and Award

Submission and process:Single-stage submission and one-step evaluation via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals must be complete, submitted before the deadline, and include all mandatory annexes. Part B is limited to 50 pages.

Cascade evaluation order:1) Excellence and potential of disruption (must reach threshold). 2) Innovation and technological development (must reach threshold). 3) Implementation.

Priority order for ties: Excellence and potential of disruption score, then Innovation and technological development score, then Implementation score, then share of total costs to SMEs and mid-caps, share to cross-border SMEs and mid-caps, and finally number of involved Member States/associated countries.

Financial and Legal Set-up

• Grant type: Lump Sum; beneficiaries do not report actual costs, but must evidence proper implementation and achievement of outputs
• Budget basis: Lump sum fixed on estimated budget compliant with EU actual cost eligibility principles (especially for purchases and subcontracting)
• Payments: Prefinancing (normally 55% of max grant), possible additional prefunding and interim payments for projects longer than 18 months, and final payment; prefinancing guarantees may be required
• Liability regime for recoveries: Limited joint and several liability with individual ceilings by default; affiliated entities’ joint liability may be required
• Consortium Agreement: Mandatory
• Country restrictions for eligible costs: Only activities in eligible countries are eligible for reimbursement

Submission Instructions and Mandatory Documents

• Submission via Portal; paper submissions are not accepted
• Password-protected single ZIP upload for Part B and annexes (AES-256); email password and proposal ID to DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS-PWD@ec.europa.eu before the deadline
• For classified content, contact DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu well in advance; do not upload classified files to the Portal
• Part A: Administrative information and online summary budget
• Part B: Technical description (50-page limit including work package descriptions), using the EDF template
• Mandatory annexes: Detailed Budget Table (EDF LS DIS), Participant Information, List of infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources, Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (only if using actual indirects), Ownership control declarations (including for associated partners and subcontractors involved in the action), PRS declaration (if Galileo PRS is relevant)

Key templates and references:Application form templates and model grant agreements are available via the topic page and Portal reference documents: Participant information (EDF), List of infrastructures/facilities/assets/resources (EDF), Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (EDF), Ownership control declaration, PRS declaration, EDF/ASAP/EDIRPA Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement, and the EU Grants AGA – Annotated Model Grant Agreement. See the topic page for the latest versions and the Submission System for call-specific templates.

Categorisation and Structured Information

Eligible Applicant Types

Legal entities established in EU Member States (including OCTs) or EDF associated countries with executive management in eligible countries and not controlled by non-associated third countries unless guarantees are approved. Eligible types include SMEs, startups, mid-caps, large enterprises and prime contractors, universities, research and technology organisations, research institutes, nonprofit entities where applicable, and public bodies. International organisations are only eligible if composed exclusively of EU/EDF associated country members with executive management in an eligible country. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed sole traders without separate legal personality. Subcontractors involved in the action and affiliated entities must meet the same establishment and control conditions. Associated partners from non-eligible jurisdictions may exceptionally participate under strict conditions and without funding.

Funding Type

Grant. Specifically, EDF Lump Sum Grants (LS-DIS) reimbursing fixed lump sums per work package at a 100% funding rate. Business coaching for successful SME beneficiaries is offered as a non-financial support component.

Consortium Requirement

Consortium. Multi-beneficiary applications are mandatory for this topic. Minimum consortium composition: at least 2 independent applicants (beneficiaries) from 2 different eligible countries. Affiliated entities may participate; associated partners may participate under conditions. A Consortium Agreement is required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

EU Member States (including OCTs) and EDF associated countries. Executive management must be in eligible countries. Entities controlled by non-associated third countries may only participate with approved national guarantees. Activities, and normally infrastructures/facilities/resources, must be in eligible countries; exceptional non-eligible locations may be authorised but are not reimbursable. Ukraine is eligible as an FSTP recipient under the Work Programme 2026 conditions.

Target Sector

Defence innovation and disruptive technologies across defence domains. Examples include artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, autonomous systems, robotics, advanced materials, decision-support technologies, cyber-relevant enablers, and efficiency-enhancing technologies across the defence product lifecycle. Focus is on technologies with clear defence application and disruptive potential.

Mentioned Countries

Regionally, EU Member States and EDF associated countries are eligible. Countries explicitly referenced in the provided materials include Norway (as an EDF associated country) and Ukraine (eligible as recipient under FSTP). Numerous EU Member States are listed within referenced PSI annex tables (e.g., Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden), and Norway, for security classification equivalences and procedures.

Project Stage

From TRL 4 upward. Emphasis on development, design optimisation, integration of knowledge, validation-readiness, and efficiency improvements, aiming for rapid time-to-market or validation in relevant or operational environments. The scope explicitly excludes prototyping, testing, qualification, and certification activities.

Funding Amount

Up to €3,000,000 EU contribution per proposal; total indicative topic budget €27,000,000; several proposals may be funded.

Application Type

Open call, single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants must upload a password-protected ZIP containing Part B and annexes and email the password to the specified EC mailbox before the deadline.

Nature of Support

Money: Lump sum grants covering 100% of approved work packages. Non-monetary services: Business coaching offered to successful SME beneficiaries under the EDF.

Application Stages

1 stage (single-stage proposal and one-step evaluation).

Success Rates

Not specified in the call documentation.

Co-funding Requirement

No co-funding required under this LS-DIS topic; funding rate is 100% of the lump sum. Note: The lump sum is fixed based on an estimated budget that must comply with EU cost eligibility principles.

Application Templates and Structure

Part A (online forms in the Portal):Administrative data (participants, roles, country, legal statuses), summary budget, declarations (eligibility, exclusion, financial and operational capacity), ethics and security questionnaires.

Part B (technical description; max 50 pages including WPs):Required sections: Project Summary; Excellence and potential of disruption (overall concept; objectives, scope, functional requirements, expected impact; advantage and potential of disruption); Innovation and technological development (innovation potential; complementarity with prior/ongoing R&D; spin-off potential); Implementation (work plan; detailed WPs, activities, resources, timing; consortium setup and governance; project management, quality assurance, monitoring; financial management and cost-effectiveness; risk management; communication, dissemination and visibility; ethics and security statements); Declarations (PESCO, SME/mid-cap bonus applicability; PRS if relevant; background/results free from restrictions; prior PADR/EDIDP/EDF links; double funding; FSTP rules if applicable). Include Gantt or Pert, milestones and deliverables with due months and dissemination levels, and subcontracting table if known.

Mandatory annexes:Detailed Budget Table (EDF LS DIS); Participant Information (per entity: legal data, description, key staff, up to 5 relevant projects, affiliates/associated partners and tasks, and control/guarantee explanations if applicable) Participant Information Template; List of infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources (location, ownership, FSC status, justifications for non-eligible locations if any) List of Infrastructure Template; Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (only if opting for actual indirects; requires signature by national pricing authorities) Actual Indirect Cost Methodology; Ownership control declarations (for beneficiaries, affiliates, associated partners, subcontractors involved in the action); PRS declaration (if Galileo PRS applies) PRS Declaration.

Model Grant Agreement and guidance:EDF/ASAP/EDIRPA Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement details grant terms, payments, lump sum mechanics, security and ethics, IPR, and checks EDF Lump Sum MGA. See also the EU Grants AGA – Annotated Model Grant Agreement and the EDF Programme Security Instruction (PSI) for classified work.

Constraints and Exclusions

• Proposals lacking clear defence application objectives are ineligible
• Projects must conform to Article 10(3) EDF activity types and include the mandatory activity combination; ineligible activities include system prototyping, testing, qualification, certification
• No funding for products or technologies whose use, development or production is prohibited by international law
• No development of lethal autonomous weapons without meaningful human control over selection and engagement when carrying out strikes against humans (defensive early warning/countermeasure systems are permitted)
• Background or results subject to non-associated third-country control or restrictions are not allowed if they affect the action or results (technology transfer and access rights constraints)

Support, Q&A and Partner Search

• Helpdesk and Portal Online Manual for process and IT questions
• DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu for call-related questions
• Partner search can be posted by LEARs, Account Administrators, and eligible users with public profiles via the Portal
• EDF Info Days and tutorials provide guidance on evaluation, financial aspects, ownership control assessment, and submission

Contact and Links

• Topic: EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT Topic Page
• EU Funding & Tenders Portal Portal Home
• EDF Programme overview and 2026 Work Programme context EDF Programme

Long Summary and Explanation

This EDF 2026 call funds fast, focused, and highly innovative defence projects that can deliver disruptive impact from TRL 4 upward. It is intentionally non-thematic to attract bold ideas across all defence-relevant domains, from AI and quantum to autonomous systems and advanced materials. The emphasis is on radical concepts with clear defence use-cases, stringent output orientation, and the capacity to replace or make obsolete current technologies. The topic enforces a precise combination of activity types: applicants must either generate or integrate knowledge and then turn that into design work or lifecycle efficiency gains. This excludes costly downstream activities such as prototyping and certification, keeping projects short (12–24 months) and sharply targeted on design and efficiency outputs that underpin rapid time-to-market or validation in operational contexts.

Funding is provided as lump sums reimbursed at 100% per completed work package, simplifying financial management while still requiring robust estimated budgets that comply with EU cost eligibility principles. The maximum EU contribution per project is €3 million, and the topic’s total budget is €27 million. The call is highly structured on evaluation: excellence and disruption potential come first and carry the highest weight, followed by innovation/technological development, and implementation. Multi-beneficiary proposals are mandatory, with at least two independent beneficiaries from two different eligible countries. Strict eligibility and ownership/control checks ensure the EU’s security and defence interests are safeguarded; background and results must be free from non-associated third-country control or restrictions. Classified information handling is governed by SAL and PSI, and ethics rules apply across all activities. FSTP is available to involve SMEs and innovators (including from Ukraine, per 2026 rules) in tightly scoped tasks up to €60,000 each.

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal in a single stage by 29 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. Part B is capped at 50 pages and must follow the EDF template, complemented by mandatory annexes such as the detailed budget table, participant information, and infrastructure lists. Password-protected ZIP submission and separate password transmission are compulsory. The expected evaluation results will be communicated by March 2027, with grant agreements targeted by end-2027. Overall, this topic is ideal for agile consortia aiming to introduce breakthrough defence technologies quickly, demonstrate measurable disruptive potential, and lay the groundwork for subsequent validation and uptake by European armed forces.

Non-thematic Actions Targeting Disruptive Technologies for Defence - Funding Opportunity Analysis

Executive Summary

This is a call for proposals under the European Defence Fund (EDF) 2026 Annual Work Programme targeting disruptive technologies for defence applications. The call aims to fund innovative projects that can deliver radical technological change and paradigm shifts in defence affairs, with emphasis on rapid deployment and market readiness. Administered by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) and implemented indirectly by the European Defence Agency, this opportunity represents a significant investment in cutting-edge European defence innovation.

Funding Overview

Total Call Budget:€27,000,000 available for this specific non-thematic disruptive technologies call under the EDF 2026 Work Programme, which represents part of the total €1 billion allocated across all EDF 2026 calls ¹.

Maximum Grant per Proposal:€3,000,000 per project. The grant takes the form of a lump sum grant where each work package is reimbursed at 100% upon completion, regardless of actual costs incurred ².

Funding Rate:100% of eligible costs. This is a full-cost reimbursement mechanism using lump sum grants, meaning beneficiaries do not need to report actual costs incurred, only declare completed work packages ².

Number of Projects to be Funded:Several proposals may be funded, with no fixed maximum number specified. Award decisions will be based on the quality of applications received and available budget ³.

Call Timeline and Key Dates

About the Opportunity

Programme Context

This call is part of the European Defence Fund, established to foster competitiveness, efficiency and innovation capacity of the European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB) ⁴. The call specifically targets non-thematic disruptive technologies, meaning proposals can address any area of defence interest provided they demonstrate breakthrough or paradigm-shifting technological potential. The opportunity contributes to the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) objectives, focusing on defence technology as a critical investment area ⁵.

Scope and Objectives

Proposals must demonstrate disruptive impact on defence applications defined as enhanced or entirely new technologies that bring about radical change, including paradigm shifts in defence affairs. Eligible technologies may replace existing defence systems or render them obsolete. Proposals should focus on rapidly enhancing operational readiness, improving strategic decision-making, addressing emerging threats through cutting-edge technologies, and enabling armed forces to gain technological edge over potential adversaries. The call encourages proposals reaching minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and aims to accelerate time-to-market ⁶.

Eligible Technology Areas and Examples

The call is technology-neutral and welcomes proposals in any defence domain including but not limited to artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, autonomous systems, robotics, advanced materials, and other disruptive defence-relevant technologies. Examples of innovation categories include technologies for tactical situational awareness, AI-based systems, swarm robotics, drone systems, electronic warfare enhancement, and multi-domain operations ⁷.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants and Consortium Requirements

• Minimum consortium: At least 2 independent beneficiaries (not affiliated entities) from 2 different eligible countries. This is a mandatory requirement for this call ⁸
• Eligible countries: EU Member States, EEA countries, countries associated to the EDF Programme (currently Norway, with Ukraine negotiations pending), and overseas countries and territories (OCTs) of EU Member States ⁹
• Establishment requirement: All applicants must be established in eligible countries with their executive management structure located in eligible countries ⁹
• Legal entity types: Public or private bodies with legal personality; research organisations; secondary or higher education establishments ⁹
• Ownership control: Applicants must not be subject to control by non-associated third countries or entities, unless they can provide Member State-approved guarantees ⁹

Ineligible Entities

• Natural persons (except self-employed sole traders)
• Entities subject to EU exclusion decisions or exclusion grounds (bankruptcy, tax obligations breach, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, links to criminal organisations, irregularities, etc.) ¹⁰
• Entities subject to EU conditionality measures (notably Hungarian public interest trusts established under Act IX of 2021)
• Entities controlled by non-associated third countries without approved security guarantees
• Organisations creating entities to circumvent legal obligations in their country of origin

Financial and Operational Capacity

Applicants must demonstrate stable and sufficient resources to successfully implement projects and contribute their share. Financial capacity checks will be conducted on basis of documents requested during grant preparation (profit/loss accounts, balance sheets, audit reports). Operational capacity is assessed based on competence, experience, and availability of human and technical resources for projects of comparable size and nature. This capacity assessment is performed together with evaluation of the Implementation award criterion ¹¹.

Project Requirements and Conditions

Project Duration

Expected project duration is between 12 and 24 months. Projects of other durations may be accepted in duly justified cases. This short timeframe reflects the call's emphasis on rapid innovation and time-to-market achievement ¹².

Mandatory Types of Activities

Proposals must include at least one activity from each of two mandatory combinations: (1) either generating knowledge or integrating knowledge, combined with (2) either design or increasing efficiency activities. Studies and design activities are mandatory components. System prototyping, testing, qualification, and certification are not eligible under this call, maintaining focus on earlier-stage development ¹³.

Generating Knowledge Activities must include:Collection and interpretation of information from battlefield or exercise areas; identification of new concepts for creating or improving disruptive technologies; refinement and expansion of battlefield experience; combination of knowledge with existing studies or designs (TRL 4-5) through application of disruptive concepts ¹³.

Design Activities must include:Use of innovative concepts to adapt or redesign solutions based on battlefield observations; provision of alternative design concepts; creation of designs demonstrating radical change through disruptive concepts and technologies ¹³.

Increasing Efficiency Activities must include:Evaluation and adjustment of time-wasting, labour-intensive, or redundant procedures; experimentation on increasing autonomy and reducing operational limitations and dependencies in battlefield contexts ¹³.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Requirements

Proposals must address disruptive technologies reaching minimum TRL 4. TRL progression during the project should move technologies toward validation readiness (TRL 5-6) with focus on rapid progress toward demonstration and short time-to-market. This requirement ensures proposals build on technologies with sufficient maturity while avoiding advanced development stages (prototyping, testing) ⁶.

Intellectual Property and Results Ownership

The granting authority does not obtain ownership of results produced under the action. Results remain owned by beneficiaries. However, the granting authority receives royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable rights to use results for policy, information, communication, dissemination and publicity purposes. Background information must be provided by beneficiaries when necessary for implementing the action ¹⁴.

Security and Classified Information

Projects involving classified information must undergo security scrutiny to authorise funding and are subject to specific security rules detailed in a Security Aspects Letter (SAL) annexed to the Grant Agreement. Classified information may only be created or accessed in premises with appropriate Facility Security Clearance (FSC) from competent national security authorities. Personnel accessing classified information at CONFIDENTIEL or SECRET levels must hold valid Personnel Security Clearance (PSC). Projects must not involve information classified at TRES SECRET level. Beneficiaries must ensure projects are not subject to third-country security requirements that could affect implementation ¹⁵.

Ethics and EU Values Compliance

Actions must be carried out in line with highest ethical standards and applicable EU, international and national law on ethical principles. Beneficiaries must commit to and ensure respect for basic EU values including respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights. Projects involving human participants, personal data processing, animals, or potential environmental/health impacts undergo ethics review ¹⁶.

Restrictions on Project Scope

• Projects must not develop products and technologies whose use, development or production is prohibited by international law
• Projects must not develop lethal autonomous weapons without possibility for meaningful human control over selection and engagement decisions when carrying out strikes against humans, unless developing early warning systems or defensive countermeasures ¹⁷
• Background or results must not be subject to control or restriction by non-associated third countries or entities, directly or indirectly
• Projects must not concern already-completed activities

Application and Evaluation Process

Submission Requirements

Proposals must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before the deadline (29 September 2026, 17:00 CET Brussels time). Paper submissions are not accepted. All participants must be registered in the Participant Register with valid draft Participant Identification Codes (PICs) before submission. Proposals consist of Part A (administrative information filled directly online) and Part B plus mandatory annexes (downloaded templates, completed, and uploaded as password-protected zip archive) ¹⁸.

Mandatory Documents and Annexes

• Detailed Budget Table (lump sum format)
• Participant Information forms for all consortium members
• List of infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources
• Actual indirect cost methodology declarations (if using actual indirect costs rather than 25% flat rate)
• Ownership control declarations (for beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors involved in action, and associated partners)
• Public Regulated Service (PRS) declaration (if project requires access to Galileo PRS)
• Ethics and Security self-assessments

Proposal Page Limits

Part B (technical description) is limited to maximum 50 pages, counting work package descriptions. Evaluators will not consider additional pages. Mandatory formatting requirements include minimum font size Arial 9 points, page size A4, and margins of at least 15 mm on all sides ¹⁹.

Evaluation Procedure and Award Criteria

Proposals follow a single-stage submission procedure with one-step evaluation. An evaluation committee assisted by independent outside experts will assess all admissible and eligible applications against three award criteria, each scored 0-5 with half-points allowed. Evaluation follows a cascade approach where proposals failing minimum thresholds on earlier criteria are not evaluated on subsequent criteria ²⁰.

Award Criterion 1: Excellence and Potential of Disruption (Weight: 2):Minimum pass score 4/5. Evaluators assess excellence of overall concept and soundness of proposed approach; compliance with call objectives, scope, and functional requirements; and extent to which proposal differs from and represents advantage over existing defence products or technologies or demonstrates disruption potential in defence domain ²¹.

Award Criterion 2: Innovation and Technological Development (Weight: 2):Minimum pass score 3.5/5. Evaluators assess innovation potential and ground-breaking or novel concepts; integration of existing knowledge while avoiding duplication; and potential for innovations to spin-off to other defence applications ²¹.

Award Criterion 3: Implementation (Weight: 1):No minimum threshold. Evaluators assess effectiveness and practicality of work plan structure including timing and work package interdependencies; usefulness and comprehensiveness of milestones and deliverables; appropriateness of management structures and risk management; and quality of task allocation ensuring complementarity and effectiveness ²¹.

Overall weighted pass score is 18 points out of maximum 25 points. Proposals exceeding this threshold will be considered for funding within budget limits. Proposals with identical scores are prioritised based on scores on excellence criterion first, then innovation criterion, then implementation criterion. Further prioritisation considers share of costs allocated to SMEs/mid-caps and cross-border participation, and number of Member States represented ²¹.

Grant Preparation and Conditions

Successful proposals are invited for grant preparation. Invitation to grant preparation does not constitute formal funding commitment; the Commission must conduct legal entity validation, financial capacity checks, and exclusion verification before award. Grant preparation involves dialogue to fine-tune technical and financial aspects and may require amendments addressing evaluation committee recommendations. Successful proposals earning the STEP Seal are recognised as meeting evaluation thresholds ²².

Financial Management and Reporting

Grant Form and Reimbursement Mechanism

The grant is a lump sum grant where each work package is reimbursed at 100% upon completion. Unlike cost-based grants, lump sum amounts are fixed ex-ante based on the estimated budget and do not require beneficiaries to report and substantiate actual costs incurred. Beneficiaries only need to declare that work packages have been completed and work properly implemented. This approach simplifies financial management and accounting requirements ²³.

Budget Categories and Eligible Costs

The lump sum budget covers all eligible contributions for activities. Eligible direct costs include personnel (average costs or SME owner costs), subcontracting (must be performed in eligible countries), equipment (depreciation only, not purchase), travel and subsistence, and internally invoiced goods/services. Indirect costs are either 25% flat-rate of eligible direct costs or actual costs (if approved and certified by national authorities). Financial support to third parties up to €60,000 per recipient is allowed. Non-deductible VAT is eligible for non-public bodies. Project websites are not eligible; only communication on participants' existing websites ²⁴.

Cost Eligibility Restrictions

• Activities must take place in eligible countries; activities in non-eligible countries are not eligible unless specifically approved by granting authority
• Subcontracting must be performed in eligible countries
• Double funding prohibited: costs already funded under other EU grants cannot be declared, except for coordinated Synergy actions where total funding does not exceed 100% of costs
• Equipment costs limited to depreciation method only, not purchase values

Payment Schedule and Prefinancing

Payment typically includes initial prefinancing (approximately 55% of maximum grant amount), paid 30 days from grant agreement entry into force or financial guarantee provision whichever is latest. Additional prefinancing payments may be linked to prefinancing reports if less than 70% of previous payment was used. Interim payments reimburse approved work packages capped at interim payment ceiling (typically 90% of maximum grant). Final payment reimburses remaining eligible lump sum contributions after final report approval. All payments made to coordinator, who must distribute to other beneficiaries without unjustified delay ²⁵.

Financial Guarantees

If required by granting authority, prefinancing guarantees must be provided by approved bank or financial institution in EU (or exceptionally outside if offering equivalent security). Guarantor must be first-call guarantor requiring no recourse against principal debtor. Guarantees remain in force until final payment and if recovery occurs, until five months after debit note notification. Guarantees released within one month after conditions met ²⁶.

Reporting and Deliverables

Beneficiaries must report progress continuously via Portal Continuous Reporting tool and submit periodic reports (additional prefinancing reports, periodic reports for interim and final payments). Technical part includes overview of action implementation; financial part includes financial statements confirming completed work packages. By signing financial statements, coordinator confirms information is complete and reliable, work packages properly implemented, and can be substantiated by adequate records. Mandatory deliverables include progress reports (6-12 month intervals as agreed) ²⁷.

Record-Keeping Requirements

Beneficiaries must keep records and supporting documents proving proper action implementation for at least 5 years after final payment (3 years for grants not exceeding €60,000). Records must demonstrate proper implementation of work and achievement of results in accordance with accepted standards in the field. Beneficiaries do not need to keep specific records on actual costs incurred. Original documents or digitally authorised documents equivalent are required; non-originals accepted if offering comparable assurance ²⁸.

Risk Factors and Important Considerations

Competitive Environment and Success Rates

Funding competition is significant. According to available EDF implementation data, the Fund has invested approximately €6.5 billion total since May 2021 across 224 projects. The 2026 call is one among 31 total call topics in the annual work programme, with high-quality proposals expected. The €27 million available for non-thematic disruptive actions competes with other priority areas receiving larger allocations ²⁹.

Consortium Formation Challenges

Requirement for minimum 2 beneficiaries from 2 different eligible countries may present coordination challenges, particularly for establishing effective collaboration frameworks and managing cross-border intellectual property rights. Early establishment of consortium agreements addressing governance, task allocation, IP ownership, and dispute resolution is critical ³⁰.

Security and Classification Requirements

Projects involving classified information face additional complexity including requirement for Facility Security Clearance before grant signature, Personnel Security Clearance for staff, compliance with Commission Decision 2015/444, handling of security-related deliverables, and adherence to Programme Security Instructions. Absence of FSC can delay or prevent grant signature ¹⁵.

Disruptive Technology Definition and Acceptance Risk

The call requires proposals demonstrating paradigm-shifting potential, which is subjective and may face differing interpretations by evaluators. Proposals must clearly articulate how proposed technologies replace existing systems or render them obsolete and provide compelling evidence of radical innovation versus incremental improvement. Vague or overstated disruption claims risk low evaluation scores on the Excellence criterion ⁶.

Timeline Pressures

The short project duration (12-24 months) combined with lengthy evaluation timeline (September 2026-March 2027) and grant signature target (December 2027) means projects must be implementation-ready. Extended timelines for security clearances or legal entity validation could compress actual project execution periods significantly ³¹.

Strategic Fit and Added Value

This call supports the EU's strategic autonomy and defence industrial base strengthening objectives as outlined in the EU Defence Industrial Strategy and Common Foreign and Security Policy framework. By funding disruptive technologies, it aims to reduce European dependence on external defence capabilities, accelerate innovation, and foster cross-border collaboration. Projects demonstrably contributing to defence capability gaps commonly agreed by Member States within Capability Development Plan frameworks are particularly valued ³².

Key Contacts and Support Resources

For non-IT related questions contact: DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu. For technical submission issues contact the IT Helpdesk through the Portal. National Focal Points (NFPs) in each Member State provide country-specific implementation guidance. The Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual provides step-by-step process guidance. Info-days in March 2026 offer matchmaking and application support opportunities ³³.

Regulatory and Legal Framework

The opportunity is established under Regulation (EU) 2021/697 (European Defence Fund Regulation), EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Regulation 2024/795. Implementation follows the EDF 2026 Work Programme adopted 17 December 2025, the Generic Programme Security Instruction for EDF, and Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444 on EU classified information protection ³⁴.

Footnotes

1. 1European Defence Fund 2026 Annual Work Programme, Commission Implementing Decision C(2025) 8719 final, adopted 17 December 2025. Total EDF 2026 budget €1,005,978,500 distributed across 31 call topics.
2. 2EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT Call Document, Section 2, Type of action and funding rate; Section 5.1-5.4 Grant parameters. Lump sum grants reimburse fixed amounts based on estimated project budgets at 100% funding rate.
3. 3Call Document Section 3 Available Budget; Funding & Tenders Portal Topic Details page indicates several proposals may be funded with no fixed maximum number.
4. 4Regulation (EU) 2021/697 Article 1-3; EDF Work Programme 2026 General Provisions on EDF objectives.
5. 5EDF 2026 Work Programme Section on Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP); STEP Regulation 2024/795.
6. 6Call Document Section 2: Scope and types of activities for EDF-2026-LS-DIS-NT; Article 2(13) EDF Regulation definition of disruptive technologies; TRL definition reference from Horizon Europe guidance.
7. 7Call Document Section 2 Scope; EDF 2026 Work Programme overview of forward-looking technology areas.
8. 8Call Document Section 6 Consortium composition; Section 6 Eligible participants; minimum 2 independent beneficiaries from 2 different eligible countries requirement.
9. 9Call Document Section 6 Eligible participants; list of participating countries identified as EU Member States, EEA countries, and EDF associated countries.
10. 10Call Document Section 6 Eligible participants and Section 7 Exclusion; EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Articles 138 and 143 exclusion grounds.
11. 11Call Document Section 7 Financial and operational capacity and exclusion; Grant Agreement Article 7 on beneficiary responsibilities; rules for legal entity validation and financial capacity assessment per EU guidance.
12. 12Call Document Section 6 Duration; expected 12-24 month duration with provision for justified extensions.
13. 13Call Document Section 2 Scope and types of activities; mandatory activity combinations and detailed task descriptions for generating knowledge, integrating knowledge, design, and increasing efficiency activities.
14. 14Grant Agreement Model Article 16 Intellectual Property Rights; Article 16.2 Ownership of results; Article 16.3 Rights of use by granting authority.
15. 15Call Document Section 6 Security requirements; Grant Agreement Article 13 Confidentiality and security; EDF Programme Security Instruction (PSI) and security-specific requirements for classified projects.
16. 16Call Document Section 6 Ethics requirements; Grant Agreement Article 14 Ethics and values; ethics issues table in application form.
17. 17Call Document Section 6 Eligible actions and activities restrictions; prohibitions on international law violations and lethal autonomous weapons without meaningful human control (except early warning and defensive systems).
18. 18Call Document Section 5 Admissibility and documents; Section 11 How to submit application; Funding & Tenders Portal procedures.
19. 19Call Document Section 5 Admissibility conditions Proposal page limit and layout; Part B limited to 50 pages maximum; formatting requirements specified.
20. 20Call Document Section 9 Award criteria; cascade evaluation approach with minimum thresholds for Excellence (4/5) and Innovation (3.5/5) criteria.
21. 21Call Document Section 9 Award criteria detailed descriptions; scoring 0-5 with half-points; weighting factors and overall pass threshold of 18 points.
22. 22Call Document Section 8 Evaluation and award procedure; STEP Seal award for successful proposals; Grant preparation dialogue requirements.
23. 23Grant Agreement Article 5 Grant form; Article 6 Eligible contributions; Annex 1 EDF types of action describing lump sum grant mechanism.
24. 24Grant Agreement Article 6.2 Eligible contributions and cost eligibility rules; Detailed Budget Table specifications for lump sum grants.
25. 25Grant Agreement Article 22 Payments and recoveries; Data Sheet Point 4.2 Reporting and payment schedule; prefinancing and interim payment calculations.
26. 26Grant Agreement Article 23 Guarantees; prefinancing guarantee requirements and conditions.
27. 27Grant Agreement Article 21 Reporting; financial statement sign-off requirements; continuous reporting tool usage.
28. 28Grant Agreement Article 20 Record-keeping; 5-year retention requirement after final payment (3 years for grants under €60,000).
29. 29EDF implementation statistics from search results: €6.5 billion committed across 224 projects since May 2021; 31 total call topics in 2026 work programme.
30. 30Call Document Section 6 Consortium composition and Section 8.3-8.4 on consortium set-up and management requirements.
31. 31Call Document Section 4 Timetable; evaluation September 2026-March 2027; grant agreement target December 2027; project duration 12-24 months.
32. 32EDF 2026 Work Programme background on EU Defence Industrial Strategy and defence capability priorities; Common Foreign and Security Policy framework alignment.
33. 33Call Document Section 12 Help; contact email DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu; Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual; Info-days scheduled March 2026.
34. 34Regulatory framework: Regulation (EU) 2021/697 European Defence Fund; EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509; STEP Regulation 2024/795; Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444; EDF Programme Security Instruction.