The European Structural Funds in the Defence Sector

www.eda.europa.eu 2

Objectives

To identify innovative ways of funding dual use R&T

projects, in order to promote innovation across the

EDTIB

To support defence SMEs; ESF is one of the key

actions included in EDA’s Action Plan for SMEs

www.eda.europa.eu 3

EDA actions

In 2013 EDA developed actions to:

Raise awareness of Ministries of Defence and

defence industry/SMEs as regards the use of ESF;

Identify and support eligible pilot projects in R&T and

industrial capabilities for the European Structural

Funds;

Develop a methodology to be used by defence

stakeholders to increase eligibility for future projects.

www.eda.europa.eu 4

Structural Funds and Cohesion Policy in 2007-2013: A brief overview

► Structural Funds : Financial

instruments through which EU

Cohesion Policy is implemented to

reinforce economic and social

cohesion within the EU

► Support the need to strengthen

competitiveness and innovation

► Contributes to raising the EU’s long-

term research and innovation

performance based on smart

specialization

The three main funds under which

research and innovation activities can be

supported are:

► European Regional Development

Fund (ERDF):

EUR 201 B

► European Social Fund (ESF):

EUR 76 B

► Cohesion Fund: EUR 70 B

These funds are linked to 3 main

objectives:

► Convergence: EUR 283 B

► Regional competitiveness &

employment: EUR 55 B

► European Territorial Cooperation:

EUR 9 B

The EU investment for innovation and

research in 2007-2013 amounts to

around EUR 86 B.

Structural Funds (2007-2013)

EUR 347 B

www.eda.europa.eu 5

Dual-use technologies

European Commission’s definition:

Goods and technologies are

considered to be dual-use when

they can be used for both civil and

military purposes.

Materials processing

equipment

Electronics

ICT Telecommunications

Encryption

Sensors & lasers

Navigation & avionics

Marine equipment Aerospace &

propulsion equipment

Defence expenditure is not eligible for

Structural Funds.

However:

► Security has become a top priority

for the European Union

► Dual-use technologies that are

transversal to both defence and

security can be eligible

► Key enabling technologies can be

applied to several sectors

Cluster mapping linked with defence/security dual-use technologies

www.eda.europa.eu 6

Raising awareness

• In 2013 EDA organized 4 workshops in 4 Member States (PT,

PL, BG, IE)

• Main objectives:

To familiarize and mobilize key stakeholders at regional level

in academia, research institutes, defence and security

industries especially SMEs; and

To influence better use of European Structural Funds for dual

application projects in the field of defence and security.

www.eda.europa.eu 7

Raising awareness (2)

More than 700 key experts, SMEs, universities, federal and regional

administrations in charge of structural funds, innovation, defence and

security, technology attended those seminars. The outcomes of these

seminars were :

A first positive dialogue between MoDs and the Ministries managing

Structural Funds

A knowledge transfer to the military and civilian R&T community

Creation of good contacts with operational stakeholders in charge of

the coordination of Cohesion Policy and ERDF programmes

Initiate a new mind set and cooperation spirit regarding dual use R&T

projects

www.eda.europa.eu 8

Supporting eligible projects

72 potential projects from

12 MS were identified

7 projects selected, with

focus on key R&T priorities

The selection process was

composed by two main

steps:

Preliminary

Project holder and co-funding

Assessment

6 criteria

6 criteria:

EDA key priorities for MS

Project readiness

Project consistency

Impact on EDTIB

Economic & social impact

Dual use technologies

www.eda.europa.eu 9

Supporting eligible projects (2)

Country Project

Bulgaria Improvement of the urban security and

defence through the implementation of

advance detection sensors' system

Poland Intruder detection and collision avoidance

system for flight aircraft

Germany Adaptation of SWIR technology for high

resolution hyper spectral and imaging

applications

Portugal Turtle: increased sustainability of operations

in the sea bottom by developing key

technologies

France European icing testing platform for

aeronautics

United Kingdom Microwave Epitaxial

Spain Underwater signature monitoring and analysis

(USMA) Centre

www.eda.europa.eu 10

Supporting eligible projects (3)

• 2 projects submitted successfully/ Both announced

eligible to financial support by the regional authorities

• One of them received 770K ESF funds out of 1,2M

eligible project budget (60% from ESF)

• 4 projects have been prepared for the next

programming period

• Most important!! In all cases no obstacles identified in

order to use ESF for dual use projects

www.eda.europa.eu 11

Developing a methodology

How

For whom

Who

Why

• Project added value (at EU, MS and regional level ) • Project objectives (general and specific)

• Relevance of the project in relation to the strategy of the OP

• Project stakeholders (skills and expertise needed for the project; partners and involvement in the project

development)

• Target groups (direct and indirect beneficiaries)

• Content (action plan to realise the project and resources used) • Implementation (location and schedule)

• Financing plan and provisional cost

For which results

What • Rationale of the project

• Main scope (general economic and social context and expected goals)

• The results (output / deliverables)

EDA upon experience and results of work so far will continue in 2014

supporting defence stakeholders on accessing ESF

www.eda.europa.eu 12

Way ahead

Capacity building- Transfer of know-how

• In 2014, EDA upon MoDs invitation, will continue organizing ESF

seminars and training activities in the MS

• Training or informative sessions on ESF will be organized also in

the frame of the regular EDA working groups, with the

participation of MS, industry and academia

• 1stQ 2014 EDA will publish a Handbook with practical

information/steps to be followed by defence stakeholders to

access ESF

• EDA will take advantage of EU, government or B2B events to

promote use of ESF for dual-use projects

www.eda.europa.eu 13

Way ahead (2)

Supporting eligible projects

• Upon EDA’s specific calls to be issued through the MoDs, EDA

will collect, asses and select project proposals for further

support

• EDA will provide free of charge support to the project holders in

developing the application folders

• EDA calls will include among others: areas of priority,

predetermined criteria, application format etc.

• Unsolicited project proposals delivered to EDA outside the EDA

calls, will not be assessed

www.eda.europa.eu 14

Focus on Thematic Objectives

The upcoming opportunities of the 2014-2020 programming period

The next programming period will be slightly different from 2007-2013:

1. Research & innovation

2. Information & communication technologies (ICT)

3. Competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized

Enterprises (SMEs)

4. Shift towards a low-carbon economy

5. Climate change adaptation & risk prevention and

management

6. Environmental protection & resource efficiency

7. Sustainable transport & removing bottlenecks in

key network infrastructures

8. Employment & supporting labour mobility

9. Social inclusion & combating poverty

10.Education, skills & lifelong learning

11.Institutional capacity building & efficient public

administrations

The RIS3 requires national/regional

authorities to identify the unique

characteristics and assets of each

country and region, so as to focus on

policy support and investments

received through Structural Funds.

Stakeholder participation and

ownership is essential to the

development of these strategies.

Be based on regional and national

Research & Innovation Strategies for

Smart Specialisations (RIS3)

www.eda.europa.eu 15

Focus on Thematic Objectives

The upcoming opportunities of the 2014-2020 programming period

The next programming period will be slightly different from 2007-2013:

1. Research & innovation

2. Information & communication technologies (ICT)

3. Competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized

Enterprises (SMEs)

4. Shift towards a low-carbon economy

5. Climate change adaptation & risk prevention and

management

6. Environmental protection & resource efficiency

7. Sustainable transport & removing bottlenecks in

key network infrastructures

8. Employment & supporting labour mobility

9. Social inclusion & combating poverty

10.Education, skills & lifelong learning

11.Institutional capacity building & efficient public

administrations

The RIS3 requires national/regional

authorities to identify the unique

characteristics and assets of each

country and region, so as to focus on

policy support and investments

received through Structural Funds.

Stakeholder participation and

ownership is essential to the

development of these strategies.

Be based on regional and national

Research & Innovation Strategies for

Smart Specialisations (RIS3)

www.eda.europa.eu 16

For more information

Vassilis Tsiamis

EDA Project Officer

European Structural Funds

European Defence Agency

Rue des Drapiers 17-23

B-1050 Ixelles - Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)2 504 2950

Fax: +32 (0)2 504 2985

vassilis.tsiamis@eda.europa.eu

www.eda.europa.eu

Media & Communication

European Defence Agency

Rue des Drapiers 17-23

B-1050 Ixelles - Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)2 504 28 22

info@eda.europa.eu

www.eda.europa.eu

www.eda.europa.eu

Thank you for your attention!