LEAK: EU Commission mulls options for boosting R&D in dual-use technologies

The European Commission will propose several options for promoting research and development (R&D) related to technologies with dual-use potential, namely, those that can be used for both civil and military purposes, such as drones and satellites.

The EU executive intends to review its current funding programmes to assess whether they provide adequate and strategic support to face the emerging geopolitical challenges outlined in the European Economic Security Strategy.

This new approach to R&D related to dual-use technology is detailed in a white paper the Commission is due to publish on 24 January as part of the Economic Security Package. Euractiv obtained an early version of the document.

The white paper details several options that will be subject to a public consultation running until 30 April. Stakeholders might request that their submissions, or parts of them, remain confidential given the topic’s sensitive nature.

LEAK: EU eyes trade defence tools to protect industrial, defence sectors from China

The EU is considering a series of tools to counter China and Russia’s increasing readiness to use trade and the control of critical supply chains to its geopolitical advantage, according to a European Commission draft proposal seen by EURACTIV.

In a …

Current setting

The EU’s flagship research programme, Horizon Europe, is currently dedicated exclusively to civil matters, while the European Defence Fund (EDF) is solely dedicated to defence applications. However, the Commission has been trying to bridge the gap between the two with several initiatives.

As part of a broader push for de-risking from external dependencies on third countries in critical sectors, most notably from China, the EU has been striving to foster a technological edge over technologies critical for the Union’s economic security, which often have dual-use potential.

“The EU may therefore have an important role to play in providing targeted support to dual use, on the pathway from R&D to deployment, right through to market uptake or public procurement,” reads the white paper.

According to the Commission, the lack of synergies between EU programmes leads to unexploited potential for civil R&D to spill over into the defence sector and from the defence R&D to generate civilian applications.

Possible options

The document highlights the need to explore more cross-fertilisation in the context of R&D support related to dual-use technologies, notably in integrating new technologies developed through defence funding into the civil sector.

The reference is that recent experience has shown the strategic relevance of enhancing civil security on critical infrastructure, border control, the resilience of essential services, and addressing social unrest prompted by disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks.

In this regard, the Commission has devised three possible options for addressing these challenges. The first consists of making the best use of the current setting, whilst the other two would require a legislative intervention.

In the first scenario, the EU executive envisages leveraging the existing measures that are yet to produce the intended effects. These measures include EDF’s spin-in calls, supporting dual-use companies with the InvestEU programme, and introducing exploitation obligations for Horizon Europe’s projects related to critical technologies.

The parameters for receiving funding under programmes like Horizon Europe could be tweaked to develop synergies better. Joint investments between the Commission and the European Investment Bank in critical communication, disruptive technologies and space are also mentioned.

Secondly, the white paper outlines that the exclusive civil focus could be removed in selected parts of the successor to the Horizon Europe programme, which will run until 2027.

This targeted approach would maintain the research programme’s open participation of third countries, with restrictions limited in the parts involving technologies with dual-use potential.

“This option would allow programming spin-in calls involving defence-related projects’ results directly in the successor programme to Horizon Europe, while in turn, the successor programme to the EDF would provide follow-up funding for defence capability development of the most promising civil-related project results,” the paper continues.

Finally, the Commission suggests setting up a specific instrument for dual-use R&D. However, this option does not seem to be the preferred path as it might add additional complexity and lead to overlaps of R&D activities performed exclusively for the civil and military sectors.

This instrument could have its own budget, rules and governance. Alternatively, it could be a mechanism to promote the market uptake of dual-use technologies, like a Joint Undertaking, or through a procurement instrument.

In addition, the paper floats the idea of flagship projects on dual-use technologies to put “the EU as the lead customer for services of public interest in the defence and civil domain,” citing counter-drone systems and autonomous vehicles as examples.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]

Read more with Euractiv

French influencer law's alignment with EU rules 'not a problem', leading MP says

France's 'influencer law' is designed to target those from outside the European Union; therefore, aligning the law with EU rules will not be a problem, Stéphane Vojetta, the rapporteur of the law, told Euractiv.