Ideas for tightening ties include a new technology observatory, innovation incubator and flagship projects
The European Commission has published a plan to tighten the links between the civilian and military R&D the EU funds, and to ensure that any resulting technologies benefit the bloc.
Presenting the plan on 22 February, the Commission said the launch of standalone 2021-27 EU programmes on defence, digitisation and space, alongside the next iteration of its R&D programme, “for the first time…presents opportunities to reinforce European innovation by exploring and exploiting the disruptive potential of technologies at the interface between defence, space and civil uses”.