On June 28-29, 2023, Balázs Hendrich, Deputy CEO of VIKI, attended the European Defence Fund (EDF) Information Days held in Brussels.
The event was also attended by Dr. András Levente Balog, Senior Advisor of the Defence Innovation and Capability Development Department of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), who serves as the National Focal Point (NFP) for the EDF. The NFPs’ role is to collaborate with the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) of the European Commission to support potential applicants and assist in building consortium partnerships within the program.
The participants of the event were greeted by a video message from Timo Pesonen, Director-General of DG DEFIS, while Francois Arbault, Director for Defence Industry at DG DEFIS, delivered the opening speech in person to those attending either in person or via video link. During the two-day event, DG DEFIS provided a detailed overview of the EDF’s 2023 call for proposals, highlighting the significant opportunities available in the field of defence research and development. The event offered a platform for professionals, researchers, and companies in the defence sector to gather, share experiences, and establish partnerships that can contribute to the successful implementation of EDF defence industry projects.
The event was attended by 2,165 registered participants from 33 countries. From Hungary, 23 individuals registered. The Hungarian interest in the EDF was bolstered in the first half of this year by a series of thematic workshops organized by the Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Defence Innovation and Capability Development (HM VIKF) and the Second Hungarian EDF National Information Day, jointly organized by the Ministry of Defence and VIKI on June 13, 2023.
The EDF allocates approximately €8 billion for defence research and development across all areas of defence capability development from 2021 to 2027. For more information, please contact the Hungarian NFP (balog.andras.levente@hm.gov.hu) and the VIKI team, and review the details of the funding opportunities by clicking on the following link:
https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/european-defence-fund-eu12-billion-boost-eu-defence-capabilities-and-new-measures-defence-innovation-2023-03-30_en
