How we do

The Agency is the place for European Defence co-operation. This can only be achieved through an effective coordination at all levels: internally in EDA, between the different Defence communities, between the Agency and its participating Member States, and with other organisations.

 European Commission

EDA has a unique configuration: it brings together all four communities of the chain, from planners to researchers, from programme developers to the production side that is industry.

The novelty of the Agency is its integrated way of working - not only at EDA itself, but also in the participating Members States. This paradigm shift in the way of working is dramatically changing capability development in Europe, bringing together all relevant actors early in the process.

Other critical point is the ability to establish synergies not only among the shareholders (EDA’s participating Members States), but also with stakeholders, under the premise of complementarity and non-duplication.

"What I think we can contribute in a European context, and post-Lisbon is only a few months ago, is looking at, for example, what the European Defence Agency can do – the capacity to use economies of scale, R&D facilities, research and development across the member states to enhance their capabilities by working collaboratively together". Catherine Ashton, Head of EDA, (interview to BBC), 14 October 2010.

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Annual Report 2009

EDA Portals

EDA's Annual Conference: Refocusing Defence: a European perspective on Defence cooperation in a time of financial challenge UPDATE - Second EDA Multinational Helicopter Exercise “AZOR 2010” Workshop - Technological Review and Assessment in the field of Naval Systems Energy Supply for EU Crisis Management – Lessons Learned and Opportunities Identified Consultation with Industry on Pooling & Sharing European High Level Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Conference Industry Day on Route Clearance Press briefing (Brussels) - IT CALL 2011 Countering Improvised Explosives Devices (CIED) Basic Search Course Conference on Through-Life Management 1st EDA Helicopters Tactics Symposium European Technology non-Dependence Conference Exercise Italian Call 2011 Tactical Air Transport symposium European Framework Cooperation (EFC) Workshop European Defence Conference 2011 EDA Steering Board in Ministers of Defence formation Steering Board in Ministers of Defence formation Press Day - ITALIAN CALL 11 Multinational Helicopter Exercise GREEN BLADE 12 Multinational Helicopter Exercise HOT BLADE 2012 2nd EDA Helicopter Tactics Symposium Workshop on "Exploring Safe design and operations for the European Unmanned Maritime Systems”