EDF infoday held in zagreb

Zagreb, 14 April 2026 – The EDF Info Day was held in Zagreb, focusing on opportunities offered by the European Defence Fund (EDF), the European Union’s key financial instrument for strengthening the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the European defence industry.

For the period 2021–2027, approximately EUR 8 billion is available through the EDF across more than 30 thematic areas, providing significant growth opportunities for the Croatian defence industry and enhanced cooperation with European partners. The event highlighted the importance of early engagement and strategic positioning of companies and research institutions in international R&D consortia.

Speakers at the event included Ivan Anušić, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and Minister of Defence, Irena Weber, Director General of the Croatian Employers’ Association, Goran Basarac, President of the Croatian Defence Industry Competitiveness Cluster, and Giorgio Trichilo from the European Commission’s Directorate‑General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), who presented current EDF priorities and funding calls.

The programme also featured a panel discussion where EDF project beneficiaries shared their practical experience in project preparation and implementation, addressing key challenges, lessons learned and the added value of participation in European defence R&D projects.

During the Info Day, a Cooperation Agreement on the project “Modernisation of the Anti‑Tank Mine” was signed between the Croatian Ministry of Defence and Alan Agency. The event further included B2B meetings, enabling direct networking and discussions between Croatian companies and potential national and international partners, with the aim of building strong partnerships and consortia for EDF project applications.

The EDF Info Day confirmed its role as an important platform for knowledge exchange, networking and strengthening the international competitiveness of the Croatian defence industry. More than 130 stakeholders participated in the event with 55 companies participating at B2B meetings.