Lithuania and seven other EU countries issue joint statement on the importance of defence research in the future Horizon Europe programme
The research ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Romania issued a joint statement this week calling on the Council of the EU, the European Commission and the European Parliament to maintain the possibility of funding the development of dual-use technologies under the future EU research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe.
“Europe must find ways for science and innovation to contribute not only to societal well-being and economic growth, but also to defence and our collective security. The new Horizon Europe programme could be an excellent tool for encouraging the development of such innovations and facilitating their practical application,” said Raminta Popovienė, Minister of Education, Science and Sport of Lithuania.
In their statement, the countries point out that the boundaries between civilian and military technologies are becoming increasingly difficult to define. Artificial intelligence, quantum and cyber technologies, photonics, biotechnology, space technologies, semiconductors, advanced materials and autonomous systems can be used for both civilian and security and defence purposes. Therefore, the countries argue that requiring all Horizon Europe projects to be limited exclusively to civilian purposes from the outset could prevent the development of strategically important technologies from receiving funding.
In the joint statement, the ministers call on the Council of the EU, the European Commission and the European Parliament to support the dual-use principle. They propose establishing dedicated funding calls for dual-use technologies, while maintaining the possibility of funding dual-use activities through open calls as well.
The statement emphasises that this approach would enable European research and innovation to respond more rapidly to technological, economic and geopolitical changes, while creating better conditions for promising technologies to be put into practical use.
The full statement is available here.
Last updated: 30-09-2026
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