A consolidated amended text of the AGILE Programme (A-10-2026-0188), tabled by the S&D group and MEPs Tonino Picula and Ivars Ijabs, proposes to transform the European Commission's original proposal into a more strategic and operational tool. The amendments, published on 29 June 2026, introduce a dedicated mechanism to fast-track defence products to Ukraine, mandate alignment with EU-wide defence priorities, and add provisions to support localisation of critical component production for new defence actors.
The AGILE Programme is a proposed EU regulation to create a fast-track funding programme for defence innovation, running from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2027 with a budget of EUR 115 million. It targets SMEs, start-ups, and scale-ups developing emerging and disruptive defence technologies such as drones and AI, aiming to address urgent capability needs arising from Russia's war against Ukraine. The Parliament's amendments, still to be voted in plenary, would significantly reshape the programme if adopted.
A key addition is the "RAZOM – Rapid AGILE-to-ZSU Onboarding Mechanism" (Article 18a), which would allow defence products developed under AGILE to bypass standard eligibility timelines and become immediately eligible for support under the Ukraine Support Loan, creating a direct pipeline from EU-funded innovation to the Ukrainian armed forces. The amendments also strengthen strategic alignment by requiring the work programme to take into account the Capability Development Plan (CDP) and findings from the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), ensuring funded projects match collectively agreed EU defence priorities.
the European Defence Agency (EDA) gains an observer role in the Programme committee, and the Commission is empowered to invite representatives of associated third countries to committee meetings (without voting rights). On the industrial side, a new recital explicitly acknowledges the struggle of new defence actors with a lack of local alternatives for critical components, tasking the programme with supporting SMEs to localise production of civilian components for defence use within the EU and associated countries. Another new recital requires the programme to help beneficiaries identify credible pathways towards market uptake, scale-up financing, and integration into larger defence systems, including matchmaking and investment-readiness activities.
The amendments shift the AGILE Programme from a purely innovation-funding instrument into a more operational and industrial policy tool. For Ukraine, the RAZOM mechanism offers a tangible fast-track for EU-funded defence technologies. For the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), the alignment with CDP and CARD ensures coherent funding, while the focus on localising production and supporting market uptake addresses the "valley of death" for defence start-ups, reducing strategic dependencies on non-EU suppliers. The amendments are proposed by the S&D group and MEPs Picula and Ijabs; they will be examined and voted in plenary before becoming the Parliament's position for negotiations with the Council.