New publication: ‘How the EU is funding arms dealers and corrupt corporations’

In 2017, the EU approved the funding of military research and the development of new arms and technologies, breaking the red line that the EU should not fund military activities with the community budget.

Over half a billion Euros went to military research and development (R&D) through two precursor programmes: the Preparatory Action for Defence Research (PADR), which funds joint military research projects, and the European Defence Industrial Development Program (EDIDP), which funds joint development of arms and military technologies.

The detailed breakdown of allocations for PADR and EDIDP funding has now been published for 73.6% of the total budget (€434.45 million out of a total of €590 million of which a small part goes to administrative costs).

ENAAT publishes today a fact-sheet about the main beneficiaries of this funding and how the EU is funding arms dealers and corrupt corporations.

Read it here in English

The fact-sheet will be soon also available in Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

 

more news

Civil society calls on policymakers to prevent the weakening of arms exports control

8 May 2026

Today, +25 civil society organisations urge decision makers to prevent arms export control systems from being weakened under the pretext of ‘simplification’ and ‘efficiency’. The negotiations on the EU omnibus package relating to defence are well advanced and about to conclude, including on the proposals modifying the Transfer directive regulating intra-EU arms exports. Weapons and military technology cannot be sold like toys or cans of beans, and EU governments are the ones responsible for ensuring compliance with European and international law, in particular the EU Common position on arms exports, the Arms Trade Treaty and the Convention on

Read more >

NBB 2026-3: ““maximised flexibility for arms, minimal safeguards for the people”

4 May 2026

From the European Competitiveness Fund to the deregulation package and military mobility, maximised flexibility for rearmament but minimal safeguards for the people… Read our latest Newsletter here: ENAAT NBB 2026-3, 30/04/2026 SUMMARY ENAAT News Join the closing event of the Global Days Against Military Spending EU funding for the arms industry – Post-2027 funding: maximised flexibility and ‘merit-based’ approach – Deal on the deregulation of the arms sector postponed – News briefs Other aspects of EU militarisation – What about the EU mutual defence clause?! – Expected clash on EU military mobility package – EU-Ukraine ‘drone deals’ –

Read more >

NBB 2026-2, EU militarisation going wild

27 March 2026

From dedicated funding programmes to diverting civil funds, from deregulation facilitating the business of arms to wave of security & defence partnerships, EU militarisation is going wild in 2026… Read our latest newsletter here: NBB 2026-2, 27/03/2026 SUMMARY: ENAAT news > Global Days Against Military Spending (GDAMS) Campaign to run from April 10 to May 9 > ‘US fighter jets: backbone of European air forces’ – StopWapenhandel blog EU support for the arms industry > Deregulating the arms industry: negotiations and EP calls for single market for defence > A SAFE 2.0 in the pipeline, Polish veto, French frustration

Read more >