(MENAFN) European Union member states have reached an agreement on the Council’s position to expand defense-related investments within the EU budget as part of the ReArm Europe initiative, which aims to bolster the bloc’s military capacity and increase overall defense spending.

According to reports, the newly adopted stance seeks to make several EU programs more accessible to defense-oriented projects while improving the speed and coordination of investments in the European Defense Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB).

"With the Council’s agreed position, we want to open key EU programmes to more defence-related investments, and we are enabling a more agile and coordinated effort to strengthen Europe’s Defence Industrial and Technological Base. It is a necessary step towards further boosting the EU’s defence readiness towards 2030," said Denmark’s European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre in a statement.

Although member states largely backed the European Commission’s original proposal, the Council added a new clause adjusting eligibility rules for projects with both civilian and defense applications under Horizon Europe. This modification brings the program in line with other EU defense initiatives.

Following this endorsement, the EU presidency will begin negotiations with the European Parliament, with the aim of finalizing an agreement before the end of 2025.

The measure complements the “defense readiness omnibus package” unveiled by the European Commission in June 2025, which remains under discussion within the Council. Both initiatives are part of a broader framework designed to strengthen the EU’s defense preparedness in accordance with the European Council’s March 2025 conclusions.

Under the ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 plan, the EU intends to mobilize up to €800 billion ($929 billion) in defense expenditures over the next five years, signaling a major shift toward deeper military and industrial integration across the bloc.

MENAFN09102025000045017640ID1110171375