EC Press Conference: Action Plan on Drone Security 11.02.2026

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 11.02.2026

EC press conference by EVP Henna VIRKKUNEN and ECs Magnus BRUNNER and Apostolos TZITZIKOSTAS on the action plan on drone security and counter-drone security

 

Press release | Remarks by the EVP/ECs | VOD | Daily News

 

Main points of the action plan:

 

  • Action plan cuts across silos: civilian and military, national and European, public and private. Coordinates across different sectors, authorities and borders. 
  • Action plan is a response to calls from MS and the EP to have a united response.
  • Aims to assist MS to cooperate and reinforce national measures. Improves our preparedness, strengthens our detection and enhances our collective response and defence readiness.
  • Preparedness: For LT and other MS facing hybrid attacks from meteorological balloons launched from outside the EU, we will launch a call for interest to the private sector, especially to startups, to propose new innovative solutions.
  • Detection and tracking: Use 5G infrastructure for detection. Malicious drones connected to our 5G network should be quickly identified, tracked and disrupted. Call on MS and industry to test and deploy cellular-based detection technologies. EC will launch a call for expression of interest.
  • MS coordination: Call for MS to appoint national coordinators to ensure cross-border cooperation. Support large-scale counter-drone deployment initiative, which will use joint procurement and work towards deployment of European sovereign command and control software capacities for civilian and military use.
  • Actions will support ongoing MS drone defence initiatives. Under EC Kubilius, the EC will increase support to the Priority Capability Coalition on drone and counter-drone, as well as the European Defence Drone Initiative with UA.
  • Cooperation with UA is central in this action plan. Plan will open cooperation opportunities with other partners who share security interests. Strong NATO cooperation is essential for rapid delivery of plan.
  • Three pillars: invest resources effectively, innovate to use the benefits of drones, and interconnect activities in different policy fields and across MS.
    • Invest: In 2026 we will mobilise €150 million to fund aerial surveillance drones for MS and Frontex joint operations. €250 million to support MS to directly purchase drones and counter-drone systems. €400 mln in total.
    • Innovate: We will launch a new counter drone centre of excellence in 2027. We’ll pool public financing for innovation so that industry can upscale and deliver solutions faster.
    • Interconnect: New EU Drone Incident Platform announced today. Lets authorities detect and respond faster to unusual activity. We will provide EU-level guidance on countering drone threats.
  • The action plan builds on our EU Drone Strategy 2.0.
  • 3 concrete actions: a drone security package, an improved definition of geographical zones, and an EU-trusted drone label.
    • Drone security package: Aims to be ready after the summer. Will strengthen identification and accountability for drone operators and pilots. Expand regulation of larger drones to address compliance gaps, particularly for small, camera-equipped drones. Our proposal will improve legal clarity and introduce technical safeguards, ensuring drones cannot fly unless the operator is identified.
    • Geographical zones: Make info on airspace constraints clearer, standardised and easier to access. It will also prepare for future geofencing. This is a safeguard to help drone operators from entering sensitive areas unintentionally. This will be important as traffic density increases and automation advances.
    • EU-trusted drone label: This is about confidence in civil drones. More info available towards the end of the year when the proposal is presented. The label will complement existing aviation and cybersecurity legislation. It is not a parallel certification scheme.

 

Q&A

 

Experts say total protection from drones (a “drone wall”) is impossible. What is your priority list? What must be protected first? What are the biggest gaps? How will the money be divided? How much will go to the eastern flank?

  • The purpose behind preparing the action plan now is to identify the gaps together with MS. MS have been focusing on civilian part of infrastructure (critical, energy, transport).  This plan complements the work on the defence side. Critical infrastructure tends to be owned by private entities, which is why it’s important to pool resources.

 

Does this action plan address the use of amateur drones by European citizens? Do you have evidence hobby drones have been mistakenly considered threats?

  • Cannot comment on individual security instances. But owners of hobby drones should not worry. Our initiative aims to increase transparency and enhance trust. In certain cases, they will need to register, but this is in their interest.

 

Will the anti-drone centre be a physical place? Will it be a research centre? Details?

  • Our Joint Research centre is already working on this. We will upgrade it so it takes a bigger role from next year.

 

On tackling drones used for drug trafficking, e.g. in ES, are there concrete plans with Interpol, Europol or AmeriPol?

  • We are reconsidering the mandates both of Europol and Frontex this year. Drones will play an important role. We are working closely with Latin American policy forces. Europol has agreements with Latin America, e.g. Brazil.

 

Does the plan aim to improve the attribution of incidents, both civilian and military, maybe in conjunction with NATO?

  • We are working with MS and industry to improve detection and response to drones, and to share information between MS. Registration and air traffic management tech will also improve attribution.

 

Does this action plan formally include Moldova? Last Friday, another drone fell on its territory. How can MD activate this mechanism following RU drone incidents? Are structural discussions underway with authorities in Chișinău?

  • Close cooperation with UA is at the heart of the action plan. MD is a very close partner for the EU. We have a security hub with MD. We have been supporting MD in hybrid operations.

 

How can you ensure the registration of new drones is done. What will happen with old ones? What effect will this announcement have on, for example, a drone entering BE or SE now? Who will be responsible for the drone? How will you recognise if a drone is friendly or hostile?

  • Registration is already mandatory under EU law. National registries are in place across MS. An EU-wide repository is now in place, managed by EASA. We are now reviewing the weight threshold, which is currently 250g. We want to lower it to 100g. This is not a major new obligation. It is a clarification of existing requirements. Drones with cameras are already subject to registration requirements regardless of weight. However, this distinction has caused confusion and some operators of smaller drones have not registered.

 

What concrete measures can LT expect from this action plan regarding weather balloons? Timeline? Are anti-balloon measures in the budget?

  • We will organise a hackathon for startups and innovators to detect and eliminate these balloons. European Defence fund and MS funds will be used, along with the €400 million. MFF will be the main source of funding. Due to urgency, the EC will look at more urgent funding methods.

 

Where will the €400 mln come from? Who would fly a drone without a camera? How is registration not enforced? How many drones do you expect to be registered under the new regime? Why is the “drone wall” not mentioned in the action plan? Why is ECKubilius not presenting?

  • Drones can already be financed under the current budget for security, border management, research etc.
  • EC has mobilised more resources to support MS since RU/BY migration border crisis.
  • €400 mln “fresh money ”from the BMVI specifically for external borders (150 mln for border security, especially surveillance equipment, 250 mln for MSs to buy drone and counter-drone systems; joint procurement encouraged).
  • Kubilius is involved, but not in Strasbourg today
  • Drown wall: this is a wider inititiative, hence the “Drone initiative”
  • Registration: the idea is to have no drone above 100g able to take off it is not registered

 

How much money will be available for the call for expression of interest regarding 5G-based detection and counter-drone technologies? What kind of companies are you looking at? Since AI is involved, is the EU going to compete with Palantir from the US?

  • The process is only starting, we are looking at the criteria and possible funding
  • Everyone with knowledge and experience is welcome to join
  • Cooperation with Ukraine is crucial due to their experience

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