The EU Counter-Drone Deployment Initiative for Critical Infrastructure is a voluntary joint purchasing mechanism currently being developed by the European Commission, supported by a committed €400 million of EU funds. The objective of the initiative is to support Member States, public administrations and operators of critical infrastructure in bulk-procuring and deploying counter-drone systems on a large scale moving from fragmented and ad hoc national purchasing to European and standards-compliant purchasing.
Launch for Call for Expression of Interest was planned for Q2 2026. If you are an organization and your potential qualifications are security directors, procurement managers and operators of critical infrastructure across Europe; that is the near future.
Why the EU Is Launching a Joint Purchasing Scheme for Counter-Drones
There is a structural problem with the counter-drone procurement market in Europe. It is being driven by individual purchase decisions by member states, individual purchase decisions by airport authorities, individual purchase decisions by port authorities, and individual purchase decisions by energy providers, often with no common requirement framework, no common testing approach, no harmonised language and no common negotiation leverage.
The Commission directly tackled these issues within COM(2026) 81 final, on the 11 February 2026. It is a need that it became urgent, given the changing security context, that the most critical infrastructure be fitted with the newest anti-drone systems and equipment. Joint purchasing is the Commission’s response to the question of “how to get there more rapidly, more effectively and more strategically coherent than each Member State can do so alone.”
The logic follows that used in all of the EU collective procurement initiatives, both on the pandemic response (the medical countermeasures purchase mechanism) and energy procurement approaches developed in 2022/23. Aggregate demand, harmonise specifications, use scale to lower cost and speed up deployment of the common capability across all users.
For the counter-drone market, these matter even more. An EU voluntary counter-drone deployment scheme for critical infrastructure will be established with Member States and based on the Commission’s interaction with them with reference to an EU wide needs analysis for EU dual-use counter-drone capabilities, a joint development pilot program for counter-drone capabilities, and an EU joint purchasing scheme in a voluntary manner for the deployment of counter-drone solutions to critical infrastructure.
The three-part process of requirements mapping, piloting, and then joint procurement is essentially the framework of the entire project. It’s vital for any organization looking to be involved in the initiative to be able to see and understand each part of the process.
The €400 Million Commitment: What the Money Covers
The EU’s actual investment in counter-drone technology is substantial and agreed upon. $150m will be invested into air surveillance drones deployed in cooperation between Member States and Frontex. @250m will go directly to Member States to procure drones and counter-drone systems themselves.
The $400 million is composed of:
Stream 1: €150 Million: Frontex and Joint Aerial Surveillance Operations
This stream provides funds for the aerial surveillance drone assets deployed by member states on shared operations with Frontex. Its use is mainly related to border surveillance, i.e. The detection of intrusions into the land and sea borders and is not designed for fixed critical infrastructure protection. Frontex is already engaged in anti-drone operations and this stream is going to support and expand this capability to member states.
Stream 2: €250 Million: Direct Counter-Drone System Procurement
The Counter-Drone Deployment Initiative encompasses a €250 million call for land and maritime border surveillance. This is the stream that has the greatest relevance to operators and governmental security agencies involved in critical infrastructure protection. It is part of the Thematic facility under the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) and has been created to allow for direct procurement by member states and, therefore, qualifying operators of counter-drone systems against EU approved standards.
The Three Components of the Initiative; In Detail
Component 1: Mapping EU Counter-Drone Capability Needs
For joint purchasing to take place, the Commission must determine what Europe needs. The first aspect of the project is the civil-military industrial mapping exercise. Its aim is to determine the priority technologies and the capability gaps. It also seeks to identify which categories of counter-drone systems are needed at priority.
The Commission will further sustain homegrown C-UAS systems, paying special attention to the assistance to innovative and scalable approaches, especially from newcomers in the defence and civilian sectors. It will engage with industry and Member States in identifying priority investment areas under EU defence and civilian programs.
Component 2: Joint Development Pilot Program
The second part is a joint development pilot scheme for counter-drone capacities. Here is the place where “home grown European solution” of the EU is put into action – money spent for a test & develop an integrated counter-drone system which matches the tech parameters laid down in the Action Plan (multi-sensor, AI-based C2, EUROSUR compatible), before it enters the common procurement basket.
Through the European Drone Defence initiative the development of a modern interoperable system for fighting and deploying drones is being implemented, this system is going to build a multi-level net that would be able to detect, follow and attack hostile drones, by the integration of the knowledge acquired in battle in Ukraine and using its dual-use capabilities for border control or disaster relief actions.
Component 3: Voluntary Joint Purchasing
Third is the joint buying scheme, the most immediately commercially relevant of the three for critical infrastructure operators.
The purchasing initiative will be run as a “voluntary scheme,” which indicates that there is no legal obligation for the member states and operators to take part. The advantages for doing so-i.e. To get a lower price per unit, a non-interoperable system and perhaps fail to meet the EU Trusted Drone Label and certificate needs post Q4 2026-will in the view of the authors, give a powerful incentive for it.
The Commission proposes to use the purchasing power of the relevant EU agencies mentioned in the Action Plan, Frontex, EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) and EFCA (European Fisheries Control Agency) to establish framework agreements accessible for eligible entities. The Commission proposes an EU-voluntary counter-drone joint purchasing action on the deployment of counter-drone systems in critical infrastructure in order to use the purchasing power of the relevant EU agencies such as Frontex, EMSA and EFCA.
Who Qualifies for the Initiative?
The Commission proposes to use the purchasing power of the relevant EU agencies mentioned in the Action Plan, Frontex, EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) and EFCA (European Fisheries Control Agency) to establish framework agreements accessible for eligible entities. The Commission proposes an EU-voluntary counter-drone joint purchasing action on the deployment of counter-drone systems in critical infrastructure in order to use the purchasing power of the relevant EU agencies such as Frontex, EMSA and EFCA.
Government Ministries and National Authorities
It is through Member State governments that the joint purchasing mechanism will work. The Commission works with Member States to plan demand and needs and to develop framework agreements. Government procurement organizations that are seeking to access favorable terms and high-performing systems quickly need to start registering demand with their respective National Coordination mechanisms – and more importantly, their National Drone Security Coordinator (whose designation was proposed in the Action Plan) prior to the closing date for the Call for Expression of Interest.
EU Agencies (Frontex, EMSA, EFCA)
All three bodies are named directly in the Action Plan as the procurement capacity upon which the project will draw. They function as the contracting mechanisms for the framework agreements that will allow the joint purchasing to occur. Their current responsibilities with regard to border surveillance, maritime safety and control over fisheries are clearly areas of legitimate need for counter-drone capabilities.
Designated Critical Entity Operators Under the CER Directive
The EU’s Critical Entities Resilience (CER) Directive requires Member States to identify critical entities in 11 sectors by July 17, 2026. Following that, critical entities are given a period of 9-10 months for risk assessment and risk reduction. Critical entities are formally designated operators in sectors like energy, transport, water, finance, digital infrastructure, space, public administration and food; operators being officially critical are intended beneficiaries of readiness measures provided under the Action Plan, including through joint procurement.
The regulatory framework should set out the respective responsibilities of public authorities and private operators and it would be curious to see to what extent the private operators will be allowed to use their own detector/effector equipment. This joint purchasing process is one of the methods of making an EU-certified, EU-funded counter-drone capability available to private critical infrastructure operators and therefore this needs them to be officially in the scope of the CER Directive.
Law Enforcement Authorities
The Commission, with Member States, shall endeavor to adopt non-binding guidance on resilience-building measures that are needed to counter the risks posed by drones to critical entities and to adopt a recommendation with a non-binding set of performance requirements on voluntary adoption of countermeasures for systems related to countering drones. Law enforcement agencies that offer counter-drone services to critical entities such as national police, border guards or airport security agencies are covered under this procurement initiative, with emphasis on portable, quickly deployable detection devices.
How the Initiative Connects to the Broader EU Counter-UAS Strategy
However, this joint purchasing scheme does not exist in a vacuum; it is a part of a much more expansive structure that the EU is building around counter-drone capability. To find out where the purchasing scheme fits in to the entire framework (EU Trusted Drone Label, Drone Security Toolbox, D-TECT Industrial Forum and the 2030 Regulatory Framework) and much more detail, the detailed pillar article can be found here: ‘The EU Counter-UAS Action Plan Explained: What It Means for Security Buyers in 2026.’
What is particularly important for understanding procurement is how this ordering proceeds:
Within the Drone Security Toolbox (Q3 2026), there is a risk assessment methodology. What threats you must defend against and what capability gaps you possess. Based on this, one knows what must be purchased.
Q4 2026 defines voluntary performance standards which detail the capabilities required for a counter-drone system to be “compliant”, e.g. Detection range, sensor configuration, data output format, inter-operability standards etc. These standards will in turn define the content of the joint purchasing catalog.
The joint buying scheme then enables interested operators to buy from the catalogue at framework agreement prices based on EU specified specifications without conducting separate tendering processes from scratch.
Then, under the 2030 regulation framework, the usage of compliant systems is mandatory. The operators who purchased systems by joint purchase were already compliant on or before that date. If the purchase was done outside this joint purchase scheme, then there will be a gap analysis and possible system upgrade.
The timing of the sequences has tremendous importance on the timing of purchase decisions taken today.
Step-by-Step: How to Position Your Organization for the Initiative
The call for expression of interest will either be launched or will be available soon. Practical preparation guide for the operators of critical infrastructure and public entities and for the procurement teams dealing with security procurement.
Step 1: Establish Your CER Designation Status
First question is whether or not your organization has been or will be designated a critical entity under the CER Directive. Member States will identify critical entities by 17 July 2026 and the CER Directive covers 11 sectors: energy, transport, banking, financial market infrastructure, digital infrastructure, water, wastewater, public administration, space, and food.
You should approach your relevant sector regulator to establish if your organization is covered and should also seek the published transposing documents from your national authorities. A number of Member States have published their national CER framework already.
Related reading: Step-by-Step: Conducting a Drone Threat Assessment for Your Site
Step 2: Conduct a Capability Gap Assessment Now
The needs mapping stage of the joint purchasing exercise demands that organizations outline their current counter-drone capability and the needs that are currently being unmet in a standard format. Organizations that present evidence-based, structured capability gap assessments illustrating what they currently have, what they need, and what the risk cost is associated with this gap are considerably stronger contenders in this mapping exercise than organizations that present with none.
A structured capability gap assessment-relevant to the counter-drone context-will identify:
- Detection coverage: How far are you currently able to detect up to? Are there any blind spots at the periphery of your area? Are you able to detect drones in adverse weather conditions and/or in darkness? Are you multi-sensor covered or only single-sensor detected?
- Identification capability: Is it possible to distinguish between licensed and unlicensed drones live? Can you identify the type of drone and the probable location of the operator?
- Response capability: Do you have on-site countermeasure ability? Is it legally permitted in your area? What is your response time from detection to report to authorities?
- Data integration: Is there a central management station to which your present system transmits information? Can your system send out information to off-site agencies or sites?
- Documentation: Are you familiar with a written drone security policy, threat assessment, and response SOP?
Operators reviewing their present coverage and how it stacks up with the EU’s multi-sensor requirement, will see that UAV-Defence’s Fixed Drone Detection systems such as the UD RD-07 A/B UAV Defence Radar which offers 360 degree coverage and 5km+ detection range, and the Portable Drone Detection range satisfy the most likely capability gaps to be addressed by the initiative’s requirement set.
Related reading: The Ultimate Guide to Drone Detection: How Systems Work and How to Choose One
Step 3: Document Your Requirements in Capability-Based Format
Capability requirements are the foundation of a joint purchasing framework rather than the specification of a particular brand. In a normal procurement, one might request “a DJI Aeroscope or similar,” whereas a joint purchasing framework might request a minimum of x meters of detection range over a frequency coverage of y GHz, accuracy in target classification within z meters, a response time of less than q milliseconds and an output format of. Any system meeting the above specifications would qualify.
Start rewriting the internal counter-drone system requirements in capability format now, including:
- Minimum detection range (e.g. 3km, 5km, 10km) per threat category
- Minimum required sensors (e.g., RF detection, radar, EO/IR, acoustic or multi-sensor combination)
- Minimum required time from detection to alert
- Minimum required data format and integration (e.g. Open API, EUROSUR compliant or interoperable with national authority systems)
- Minimum required environment of use (e.g. All-weather, 24/7 unmanned, mobile or fixed)
- Minimum required supplier security (e.g. Manufacture within the EU or NATO, cybersecurity measures, and supply chain tracking)
Capability-based specifications don’t just put you on track for the cooperative buying opportunity; they get better purchasing results across the board because they provide real competition and avoid the vendor lock-in trap.
Related reading: Buyer’s Guide: How Much Does a Counter-Drone System Cost? TCO & ROI Analysis
Step 4: Identify Your National Coordination Point
The joint purchasing action is driven through the Member States. The Commission coordinates with National authorities on the needs identification, requirements specification, and framework agreement establishment. It is via your National Coordination Point, which can be your Ministry of Interior, your Ministry of Transport, your energy regulator or indeed the National CER competent authority, that the requirements of your organization can be put into action.
The Action Plan proposed that a National Drone Security Coordinator be appointed in each member state. Member states are proceeding at different speeds on appointing that coordinator; check out who your member state has appointed or which existing body is temporarily fulfilling that role. Having established that relationship before the Call for Expression of Interest closes allows you to input into the requirements specification, not just react to it.
Step 5: Engage with the D-TECT Industrial Forum
The EU drone and counter-drone industrial forum, D-TECT Forum, which will be launched in Q2 2026, is the main civil and defence stakeholder and counter-drone provider engagement body that defines technical needs and investment priorities of the joint purchase facility.
For critical infrastructure operators the Forum provides a chance to feed their requirements of operation to the industry community who will be responsible for the joint purchasing catalog and to know which systems will be available before the formal procurement process. Suppliers benefit by providing input on which standards the relevant systems will meet.
Related reading: New and Emerging Counter-Drone Tech: Lasers, High-Power Microwaves, Net Drones
Step 6: Assess Your Supplier’s EU Strategic Autonomy Position
There is a definite tendency in both Action Plan and SAFE towards systems manufactured in Europe or the EU’s partners to the system. SAFE contracts for the purchase must state that the cost of components imported from outside the EU, Ukraine and the EEA/EFTA does not exceed 35%.
This requirement to “source” components is not automatically triggered in the civilian joint procurement but gives an indication of where all EU counter-drone procurement is heading. Components not originating from EU suppliers will more and more come under pressure to not be included in EU procurement, including some counter-drone components of Chinese origin, due to the mention of a “supply chain security risk assessment of counter-drone systems” in the Action Plan.
For your current and future counter-drone suppliers, ask direct questions about the location of system manufacturing. From what source does your critical hardware (radar modules, RF sensors, and processor) come? What are the provenance and update path for your software? How do you address the disclosure of cybersecurity vulnerabilities? This isn’t mere speculation. In fact, these are the type of factors that the Drone Security Toolbox criteria are designed to evaluate.
Act Before the Call Closes
The EU Counter-Drone Deployment Initiative for Critical Infrastructure constitutes the largest collaborative procurement opportunity on the European scene in the history of European counter-drone activity. The 400 million EU money committed, a system of support structured around EU agencies (Frontex, EMSA, EFCA) and the fact of its linking to CER Directive requirements going live mid 2026 represents an actual procurement and funding path to critical infrastructure operators postponing decisions over the counter-drone field.
The Call for Expression of Interest has been targeted at the second quarter of 2026. That period of time has arrived, operators who have already undertaken their threat assessment and capability gaps analyses, confirmed their CER designation and know where their national coordination point is can engage now, those who have yet to commence preparation are already at a disadvantage.
The stark takeaway from all of this is that there are no further barriers and the EU is building an ecosystem where the purchase of counter-drone capability will become simpler, cheaper and more coherently coordinated. Use the period of preparation available NOW to get your organization ready to take advantage.
Want to review your anti-drone capability and get prepared for the EU joint purchasing plan? Please contact our experts and benefit from capability assessment, EU Action Plan compatible system specification and purchasing support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the EU joint counter-drone purchasing initiative open to private companies?
This initiative is mostly member states and official critical entity operators under the CER Directive. Non-CER private sector firms may not directly access this framework agreement but can rely on the performance benchmark and price levels that the initiative sets out. Private operators should stay alert as to their status as CER designated and should be mindful that the deadline of July 2026 will arrive soon.
Does participation require buying a specific brand of counter-drone system?
No. Capability-based requirements rather than brand-specified ones are central to the joint purchasing scheme. Systems that are able to demonstrate conformance with the EU performance requirements and that meet supplier security requirements should be eligible to be included in the catalogue. That is the purpose of the scheme; to encourage competition, avoid being tied into a specific supplier and allow European industrial alternatives to compete.
How does the SAFE instrument relate to the joint purchasing initiative?
A separate 150 billion EU financing instrument, SAFE, is available for defence procurement among member states. Drones and anti-drone systems fall within the scope of eligible procurements within SAFE. For defence-related counter-drone procurements (military bases, borders, national security uses, etc.), SAFE loans are a major alternative source of financing. For civil critical infrastructure, BMVI call 250 million is the more relevant instrument.
What happens if my organization misses the Expression of Interest call?
The Commission have mentioned that subsequent calls can be made if the funding available allows. That said, the first call is almost certain to have the best terms and the greatest leverage in defining the requirements. If the first call is missed, then it becomes a response to a framework based on other people’s requirements and is possibly less attractive commercially.
Do I need to have counter-drone systems already installed to apply?
No. The program was intended to allow operators to procure systems, not simply scale current ones. The existence of a threat assessment and capability gap analysis will improve your application but not system ownership per se.