OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF EU PROFILE IN THE FIELD OF DEFENCE CAPABILITIES. EUROPEAN DEFENCE FUND

This article brings to attention one of the main developments recorded in the context of European defence cooperation, namely the establishment of the European Defence Fund (EDF). Conceived as an initiative aimed at contributing to the financial support of cooperation projects in the fields of capability development and defence research, the EDF represents an innovation that began to operate starting with 2021, offering additional perspectives for strengthening the Common Security and Defence Policy. Although it is a new initiative, the European Defence Fund was preceded by preparatory measures in which the necessary procedural framework and mechanisms were defined. From this perspective, the analysis developed in this article deepens the thesis regarding the positive impact of EDF for the sustainability of European cooperation in the field of defence. The strategic value of the new tool for integrating capability development and research aspects is another direction explored in the article. Last but not least, the economic role of EDF benefits of special attention in this study, from the perspective of the way in which various entities from the EU territory perceived EDF, being reflected mainly in the increase of their participation in the drafting projects and participating in competition.