Council adopts partial general approach on European Competitiveness Fund

The Council (General Affairs) reached a partial general approach on the Regulation establishing the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) at its meeting on 16 June 2026.

• Main action: The Council adopted a partial general approach on creating the ECF which sets an indicative financial envelope for 2028–2034 and establishes four policy windows (Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation; Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy; Digital Leadership; Resilience and Security, Defence industry and Space). It specifies institutional arrangements such as the ECF InvestEU Instrument, ECF Project Advisory, the Scaleup Facility, and a specific defence research programme under Article 182(3) TFEU.
• Details & context: The text includes concrete budget figures (indicative envelope and line-item allocations), provisions for budgetary guarantees and financial instruments implemented with partners including the EIB Group, rules on third-country association, security/eligibility conditions for space and defence activities, and transitional and repeal provisions for existing programmes (applicable from 1 January 2028).