Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission's Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, visited the European Defence Agency on 5 March 2026. Holding talks with EDA Chief Executive André Denk, Virkkunen was also briefed on some of the Agency's main areas of work. Discussions focused on EDA’s support for the European Union’s plan to achieve defence readiness by 2030, and how the Agency supports Member States in areas ranging from joint purchasing of military equipment to joint cyber defence development. EDA briefed on the Agency’s commitment to military innovation, such as the 2025 operational experimentation campaign EU OPEX, moving testing from the lab to the field. The Agency explained how EDA is helping Member States develop military capabilities in the medium to long term. Denk also outlined some of the ways that the Agency may expand its activities, answering a call in 2025 from EU heads of state and government to strengthen EDA. Virkkunen highlighted the strong links between internal and external security for EU citizens. She commended EDA in its efforts to bring Member States together and overcome fragmentation across EU defence. The Commission continues to work to improve cooperation between civilian and military authorities across the Union, Virkkunen said.