The Portuguese Parliament has formally submitted its opinion on the proposed AGILE Regulation (COM(2026)135), assessing its compliance with the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality. The opinion, transmitted to the Council of the European Union on 19 June 2026 and received as a cover note (10931/26) on 22 June 2026, concerns the Programme for agile and rapid defence innovation (AGILE) under interinstitutional file 2026/0078 (COD). The document is available on the Interparliamentary EU Information Exchange website (IPEX).
The AGILE programme, proposed by the European Commission, aims to accelerate defence innovation by funding agile and rapid projects, particularly involving startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Portuguese Parliament's opinion is part of the subsidiarity check mechanism, where national parliaments can scrutinize EU legislative proposals to ensure they do not overstep EU competences. The opinion does not specify whether it raises objections or supports the proposal; it merely confirms the formal submission of the national parliament's assessment.
This development follows the standard procedure under Protocol No. 2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which allows national parliaments eight weeks to issue reasoned opinions on subsidiarity. The AGILE proposal, published by the Commission on 24 March 2026, is currently under review by the European Parliament and the Council. The Portuguese opinion may influence the legislative process if it raises concerns about the proportionality of the EU's intervention in defence innovation.
The AGILE programme is expected to have significant implications for defence industry stakeholders, particularly SMEs and startups in the defence sector, by providing EU funding for rapid prototyping and innovation. It also impacts national defence agencies, which may need to coordinate with EU-level initiatives. The programme's success will depend on balancing EU-level coordination with national sovereignty in defence matters, a tension reflected in the subsidiarity scrutiny. The European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is expected to lead the legislative work, with a vote on the proposal anticipated later in 2026.