21 Jul 2026
EDA Defence Data 2025-2026 show that EU R&D defence spending continues to increase
The European Defence Agency (EDA) has released its latest Defence Data report for 2025-2026. According to the report, defence spending by the EU’s 27 Member States reached €418 billion in 2025, a 20% increase compared to 2024. Spending is projected to rise further to €454 billion in 2026, reflecting Member States’ continued efforts to strengthen Europe’s defence capabilities and readiness.
Defence spending represented 2.2% of EU GDP in 2025 and is expected to reach 2.4% in 2026. Defence investment is forecast to account for 36% of total defence expenditure in 2026, while spending on defence research and development is expected to increase from €17 billion in 2025 (up from €13 billion in 2024) to €20 billion in 2026.
The report points out that the gap between acquisition and development continues to widen with increasing equipment procurement. The Member States' €17 billion spent on R&D in 2025 represent only 4.0% of overall defence expenditure (a slight increase from 3.9% in 2024). The EDA report sees fragmentation and limited programme integration as continuing to hinder the translation of research into deployable capabilities.
The EDA Defence Data 2025–2026 report provides a comprehensive overview of defence expenditure and investment trends across the EU. Based on data collected annually from the Ministries of Defence of all 27 Member States, it supports evidence-based policy development and defence cooperation at European level.
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