Bonn, Germany | 23 April 2026 - The OCCAR-EA Director, Mr. Joachim Sucker, today welcomed the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Mr. Andrius Kubilius, to OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) Headquarters in Bonn.
During the meeting, Director Sucker and Commissioner Kubilius reaffirmed the long‑standing and strong partnership between OCCAR and the European Commission (EC). They exchanged views on current and future challenges in European armaments cooperation, as well as on OCCAR’s role in the international defence landscape as an independent and genuinely European organisation dedicated to the management of complex multinational armaments programmes.
OCCAR has successfully managed—and continues to manage—a series of major EU‑funded defence programmes under both the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) and the European Defence Fund (EDF). Flagship initiatives such as ESSOR and MALE RPAS (#Eurodrone) were implemented under EDIDP, while key EDF programmes include EPC/MMPC, E‑NACSOS, HYDIS, HYDEF and REACT.
European Union (EU) investment in OCCAR‑managed programmes has reached approximately €600 million, highlighting OCCAR’s central role in delivering complex, high‑impact European defence capabilities across all operational domains.
The recently launched €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative is set to further support EU Member States in strengthening cooperative capability development. Within this framework, OCCAR‑managed programmes are expected to enter a new phase marked by increased production levels and the accession of additional participating states.
In conclusion both Commissioner Kubilius and Director Sucker expressed their shared commitment to further deepening cooperation between OCCAR and the European Commission in the years ahead.