EC begins formation of EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance
The European Commission (EC) announced on Tuesday that, in close cooperation with the Ukrainian side, it is launching the EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance and is accepting applications for founding members. To achieve these objectives, the EC is seeking candidates that are legal entities with proven experience and expertise in the field of defense drones and counter-drone systems in the EU and/or Ukraine, as well as those ready for active participation in the alliance’s activities. The purpose of this initial call is to select founding members who will form the first board, which will be responsible for defining the alliance's activities and priorities.
Brussels explains that strengthening European capabilities in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles and countermeasures must be based on lessons learned from Ukraine's experience. The alliance is expected to be an industry-led initiative uniting system manufacturers and innovators, including startups and scale-ups, alongside end-users from EU countries, European Economic Area states, the European Free Trade Association, and Ukraine.
The declared goal of the alliance is to facilitate ongoing European efforts to create comprehensive capabilities in drones and counter-drone measures. The European Commission noted that recent repeated violations of the airspace of EU member states have demonstrated the urgent need to create flexible, operational, and modern European counter-drone capabilities. Drones and counter-drone systems are among the priority areas identified and agreed upon by member states.
