30/11/2020 (Agence Europe) – The Director General of the European Commission’s Defence Industry and Space DG (DEFIS), Timo Pesonen, hoped on Monday 30 November that the first ever European Defence Fund work programme could be adopted next spring, but recalled that this was dependent on the ratification of the EU’s 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. Speaking to MEPs from the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, Mr Pesonen also hoped that the first call for projects under the European Defence Fund would be launched at the same time. In the current proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework, the fund is allocated €7 billion for 2021-2027. Moreover, the interinstitutional negotiations on the European Defence Fund, held on the same day, did not result in an agreement. Discussions included the amount of the Fund. (CG)