19/06/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 19 June, the 'industry, research and energy' (ITRE) committee of the European Parliament adopted, by a comfortable majority (47 votes to 11, with one abstention), the inter-institutional agreement reached in May on the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) (see EUROPE 12025). The agreement sets out a budget of €500 million up to 2020, 60% of which will come from the redeployment of existing programmes and 40% from unallocated budgetary margins in the current multiannual financial framework, a tightening-up of the eligibility criteria and an increase in the level of awards to SMEs. The plenary session vote is scheduled for 3 July. It is worth noting that the Parliament rapporteur, Françoise Grossetête (EPP, France), will also steer the negotiations on behalf of the Parliament on the European Defence Fund (see EUROPE 12040). (PH)