The joint ITRE-SEDE committee meeting on 3 June 2026 revealed diverging views on the AGILE programme, a EUR 115 million pilot under the current MFF aimed at accelerating disruptive defence innovation from non-traditional SMEs, startups, and scale-ups. Commission representative Ms Dinkadinkova (DG DEFIS) stressed that member states define calls and that Ukraine is fully associated.
EPP MEPs Jan Farský (Czechia) and Nicolás Pascual De La Parte (Spain) pushed to include prime contractors and first-tier subcontractors to ensure effective SME support, while co-rapporteur Ivars Ijabs (Latvia, Renew) insisted the primary focus remains on SMEs. On financing, Christian Ehler (Germany, EPP) warned that lump sums pose budget control challenges and conflict with legal restrictions for research organisations, but Elena Donazzan (Italy, ECR) supported lump sums for simplicity. Engin Eroglu (Germany, Renew) regretted the rejection of an amendment to coordinate with the European Defence Agency.
Co-rapporteur Tonino Picula (Croatia, S&D) proposed amendments to reduce supply-chain vulnerabilities for critical components, but the Commission replied that AGILE must focus its limited resources. Ehler questioned requiring CO2 self-declarations for military tech, but the Commission noted defence activities are already excluded from the 'do no significant harm' principle. Christophe Gomart (France, EPP) stressed that EU financing must bolster the European defence industrial base and avoid critical dependencies.
Broad consensus supported a fast, flexible instrument for SMEs, bridging innovation and procurement, linking to the Ukraine support loan framework and ADIP's military sales catalogue. Co-rapporteur Picula expressed confidence in a political agreement under the upcoming Irish presidency. ITRE is scheduled to vote at 10:00.