Participation in the interim review of the European Defence Fund

IAI took part in the Interim Review of the European Defence Fund (EDF) as a member of a consortium led by Pricewaterhouse Cooper (PwC), which also included the think tanks Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques (IRIS) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The interim review is required by the EU regulation establishing the EDF, which stipulates that such a review must be conducted no later than four years after the programme’s launch. The project began in May 2024 and lasted seven months. IAI supported the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG-DEFIS) of the European Commission in preparing the analyses and assessments forming the basis of the interim review. The review was structured around four aspects of the EDF: effectiveness, efficiency, EU-added value and synergy with other European initiatives, and relevance.

IAI conducted a study critically analysing the current relevance of the EDF in relation to member states’ needs in light of today’s strategic landscape, as well as the broader objectives and priorities of the EU in the field of defence and the defence industry.

IAI also organised and moderated a workshop involving leading European defence experts from think tanks and universities across various member states. The aim was to gather insights and reflections to feed into the review process. The discussion focused on the four pillars of the interim review, in particular: the relevance of the EDF to member states in light of the war in Ukraine and possible adjustments to the programme as a result; the added value of the EDF compared to national research and technology development initiatives; and perceptions of the EDF’s effectiveness among institutions and professionals across the member states.

Funding: European Commission – Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space