Deadline: 16-Feb-2027
The European Defence Industry Programme call on Ground and Naval Platforms and Systems supports joint defence procurement by EU Member States and associated countries. The call aims to improve interoperability, address capability gaps, strengthen defence industrial cooperation and support collaborative procurement in land and maritime defence domains.
Funding of up to €20 million per joint procurement action is available from a total programme budget of €60 million. Eligible actions must have a minimum procurement value of €80 million and must comply with strict requirements on component origin, design authority, security and procurement cooperation.
Programme Overview
The European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) call on Ground and Naval Platforms and Systems supports collaborative defence procurement among EU Member States and associated countries.
The call focuses on common procurement of land and maritime defence platforms, systems and related subsystems.
It is designed to strengthen Europe’s defence industrial readiness, improve interoperability between participating countries and support coordinated capability development.
Main Objective
The main objective of the call is to encourage joint procurement of defence platforms and systems in ground and naval domains.
The action aims to:
- Address defence capability gaps
- Improve interoperability among participating countries
- Strengthen cooperation between EU Member States and associated countries
- Support common procurement of defence equipment
- Promote defence industrial cooperation
- Strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base
- Support defence industrial readiness pools
- Improve lifecycle management of defence products
- Encourage coordinated investment in strategic defence capabilities
Key Focus Areas
The call supports common procurement in land and maritime defence sectors.
Key focus areas include:
- Ground platforms and systems
- Naval platforms and systems
- Artillery systems
- Armoured vehicles
- Tanks
- Combat vehicles
- Support vehicles
- Counter-mobility platforms
- Mobility platforms
- Soldier systems
- Surface naval platforms
- Underwater naval platforms
- Defence subsystems
- Interoperability
- Defence industrial readiness
- Joint procurement
- Capability development
What the Call Supports
The call supports joint defence procurement actions that involve eligible participating countries and designated procurement structures.
Supported procurement may include:
- Artillery systems
- Armoured vehicles
- Tanks
- Combat vehicles
- Support vehicles
- Mobility and counter-mobility platforms
- Soldier systems
- Surface naval platforms
- Underwater naval platforms
- Related defence subsystems
Projects should contribute to shared capability development and strengthen cooperation among participating countries.
Funding Available
The total programme budget is €60 million.
Each joint procurement action may receive up to €20 million.
Eligible procurement actions must have a minimum estimated value of €80 million.
The funding is intended to support collaborative defence purchases and encourage participating countries to procure systems together.
Funding Intensity
The call may cover up to 15% of eligible procurement costs.
Higher support of up to 25% may be available in specific cases.
Applicants should ensure that the requested funding is proportionate, justified and aligned with the procurement value and programme rules.
Minimum Procurement Value
To be eligible, a common procurement action must have a minimum estimated value of €80 million.
This means the call is intended for large-scale joint procurement actions rather than small or individual purchases.
The funding is designed to support strategic defence procurement efforts with significant capability and industrial impact.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible participants may include entities involved in common defence procurement and implementation.
Eligible participants include:
- Contracting authorities
- International organisations
- SEAP structures
- Designated procurement agents
- Entities registered under the EU Funding and Tenders Portal
All participants must comply with eligibility, validation, security and procurement requirements.
Eligible Countries and Cooperation Requirement
The call requires structured cooperation between EU Member States and associated countries.
Common procurement actions must be based on cooperation between participating countries through:
- A binding procurement agreement
- A designated procurement agent
- Joint procurement planning
- Shared capability objectives
- Compliance with EDIP rules
The action must demonstrate genuine cooperation and a coordinated procurement approach.
Binding Procurement Agreement
A binding procurement agreement is a formal arrangement between participating countries.
It should define the shared procurement objective, roles, responsibilities, financial commitments and governance arrangements.
This agreement is essential because the call supports common procurement, not separate national procurement actions.
Designated Procurement Agent
A procurement agent is the entity responsible for managing or carrying out procurement on behalf of participating countries.
The procurement agent may include:
- National contracting authorities
- European Defence Agency
- OCCAR
- NATO Support and Procurement Agency
- Similar eligible procurement entities
The procurement agent must be properly designated and must meet the relevant eligibility and validation requirements.
What Are Ground and Naval Platforms?
Ground and naval platforms are major defence systems used in land and maritime operations.
Ground Platforms
Ground platforms may include military vehicles and systems used on land.
Examples include:
- Tanks
- Armoured vehicles
- Combat vehicles
- Support vehicles
- Artillery systems
- Mobility systems
- Counter-mobility systems
- Soldier systems
Naval Platforms
Naval platforms may include systems used in maritime environments.
Examples include:
- Surface vessels
- Underwater platforms
- Naval support systems
- Related subsystems
The call supports procurement that strengthens capability and interoperability in these areas.
Defence Industrial Readiness Pools
The call also supports the creation and management of defence industrial readiness pools.
These pools are intended to improve readiness across the lifecycle of defence products.
They may support:
- Production capacity
- Supply chain coordination
- Maintenance planning
- Upgrade pathways
- Lifecycle support
- Availability of critical systems
- Defence industrial resilience
This helps ensure that jointly procured systems can be produced, sustained and managed effectively over time.
Component Origin Requirement
Strict requirements apply to the origin of components used in supported systems.
No more than 35% of components may originate outside the EU and associated countries.
This rule is intended to strengthen European and associated-country defence industrial capacity and reduce dependency on external suppliers.
Applicants should carefully assess supply chains and component sourcing before applying.
Design Authority and Control Requirement
Participating entities must retain full control over key decisions related to system design, modification and integration.
This includes control over:
- System design
- System modification
- Integration decisions
- Technical configuration
- Lifecycle management choices
- Future development pathways
This requirement helps ensure strategic autonomy and long-term control over procured defence systems.
Security and Validation Requirements
All participants must comply with eligibility, security and validation requirements.
Applicants should ensure that all participating entities are properly registered and validated under the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.
They should also ensure compliance with applicable security rules related to defence procurement and sensitive information.
Why This Call Matters
European defence cooperation requires interoperable systems, coordinated procurement and a strong industrial base.
Fragmented national procurement can lead to duplication, higher costs and reduced operational compatibility.
This EDIP call matters because it encourages countries to procure defence systems together, align capability needs and strengthen Europe’s defence industrial readiness.
It also helps support industrial cooperation across the lifecycle of defence products, from procurement and production to maintenance and upgrades.
Expected Results
Funded actions are expected to contribute to:
- Stronger joint defence procurement
- Improved interoperability between participating countries
- Better alignment of defence capabilities
- Increased industrial cooperation
- Reduced capability gaps
- Stronger land and maritime defence readiness
- More resilient European defence supply chains
- Improved lifecycle support for defence products
- Greater strategic autonomy in defence systems
How to Apply or How It Works
Applicants should prepare a structured joint procurement proposal that meets EDIP requirements.
Step 1: Identify the Common Procurement Need
Participating countries should identify a shared defence capability need in the ground or naval domain.
The need should be linked to one or more supported platform or system categories.
Step 2: Confirm the Procurement Value
The proposed common procurement action must have a minimum estimated value of €80 million.
Applicants should prepare realistic cost estimates and ensure the procurement scale meets the eligibility threshold.
Step 3: Form a Cooperation Structure
Participating countries must establish structured cooperation.
This should include a binding procurement agreement and clear roles for all parties.
Step 4: Designate a Procurement Agent
The participating countries must designate a procurement agent.
The procurement agent may be a national contracting authority, European Defence Agency, OCCAR, NATO Support and Procurement Agency or another eligible entity.
Step 5: Prepare the Procurement Agreement
The binding procurement agreement should define:
- Participating countries
- Procurement scope
- Financial commitments
- Governance arrangements
- Procurement responsibilities
- Timelines
- Decision-making procedures
- Role of the procurement agent
Step 6: Check Component Origin Rules
Applicants should verify that no more than 35% of components originate outside the EU and associated countries.
The proposal should demonstrate compliance with this requirement.
Step 7: Confirm Design Authority Control
Applicants must show that participating entities retain full control over design, modification and integration decisions.
This is essential for strategic autonomy and lifecycle control.
Step 8: Register and Validate Participants
All participants must be registered under the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.
Applicants should ensure that eligibility, validation and security requirements are completed before submission.
Step 9: Prepare the Funding Request
Applicants may request up to €20 million per joint procurement action.
The request should be aligned with the eligible procurement value and funding intensity rules.
Step 10: Submit the Proposal
The proposal should be submitted through the appropriate EU Funding and Tenders Portal process.
Applicants should ensure that all required documentation, procurement details, cooperation arrangements and security information are complete.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid the following mistakes:
- Submitting a procurement action below the €80 million minimum value
- Failing to establish a binding procurement agreement
- Not designating an eligible procurement agent
- Providing weak evidence of joint procurement
- Treating the action as separate national purchases
- Ignoring component origin requirements
- Exceeding the 35% non-EU and non-associated country component threshold
- Failing to demonstrate control over design authority
- Not completing participant validation under the EU Funding and Tenders Portal
- Submitting unclear procurement cost estimates
- Requesting funding above the allowed limits
- Failing to show interoperability or capability-development benefits
Tips for a Strong Proposal
A strong proposal should:
- Clearly define the shared defence capability gap
- Demonstrate genuine joint procurement
- Include a binding procurement agreement
- Designate a qualified procurement agent
- Show strong interoperability benefits
- Provide realistic procurement cost estimates
- Stay within the funding limits
- Demonstrate compliance with component origin rules
- Show control over design, modification and integration
- Explain lifecycle and industrial readiness benefits
- Provide clear governance and implementation arrangements
- Ensure all participants meet eligibility and security requirements
FAQ
1. What is the EDIP call on Ground and Naval Platforms and Systems?
It is a European Defence Industry Programme call that supports joint procurement of ground and naval defence platforms and systems by EU Member States and associated countries.
2. How much funding is available?
The programme budget is €60 million, with up to €20 million available per joint procurement action.
3. What is the minimum procurement value?
Eligible common procurement actions must have a minimum estimated value of €80 million.
4. What systems are covered by the call?
The call covers artillery systems, armoured vehicles, tanks, combat and support vehicles, mobility and counter-mobility platforms, soldier systems, surface naval platforms, underwater naval platforms and related subsystems.
5. Who can participate?
Eligible participants include contracting authorities, international organisations, SEAP structures and designated procurement agents registered under the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.
6. What is the component origin rule?
No more than 35% of components may originate outside the EU and associated countries.
7. What is the design authority requirement?
Participating entities must retain full control over decisions related to system design, modification and integration.
Conclusion
The European Defence Industry Programme call on Ground and Naval Platforms and Systems supports large-scale joint defence procurement across land and maritime domains.
With up to €20 million per joint procurement action, a total programme budget of €60 million and a minimum procurement value of €80 million, the call encourages participating countries to coordinate procurement, strengthen interoperability and support Europe’s defence industrial readiness.
Applicants should prepare well-structured proposals that demonstrate genuine cooperation, binding procurement arrangements, an eligible procurement agent, compliance with component origin rules and clear benefits for capability development, interoperability and defence industrial cooperation.
For more information, visit European Commission.
