European Parliament approves EDIP programme to integrate Ukraine’s defence industry into EU
On Tuesday, 25 November, the European Parliament approved a bill launching the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), which provides for the integration of Ukraine’s defence industry into the European Union’s defence-industrial complex.
The announcement was made during a meeting in Strasbourg.
The EDIP programme aims to strengthen cooperation within the EU defence sector and promote Ukraine’s participation in joint defence industry projects. According to the document, the initiative seeks to reinforce the EU’s defence industry, increase joint defence procurement, expand arms production within the Union, and support Ukraine’s integration into the European defence-industrial ecosystem.
The programme includes the creation of a Ukraine Support Instrument (USI), which will receive €300 million from the total EDIP budget of €1.5 billion through 2027.
“The programme provides €1.2 billion in grants for the European defence industry and €300 million for the integration of Ukraine’s defence industry,” European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius said while presenting EDIP to the European Parliament on 25 November.
Kubilius stressed that the programme will not only offer financial support to Ukraine’s defence industry but also create opportunities to purchase defence equipment “in Ukraine, with Ukraine and for Ukraine.”
“EDIP allows us to invest in Ukrainian industry and support its integration into the European defence technology and industrial base. It enables the incorporation of Ukrainian military innovations into the European defence industry and structurally links Ukraine with our European defence industry,” Kubilius emphasised.
He outlined three key priorities for the programme:
- Joint procurement – prioritising collaborative purchases by EU Member States to strengthen supply chains and fund cooperative projects rather than fragmented efforts.
- Strengthening Europe’s defence readiness – investing in industry, supply chains, and job creation, with strict restrictions ensuring that 65% of component costs must be European.
Organised development and production – transitioning the EU from improvisation to structured joint development, production, and defence procurement.
