The ministry of defence will convene the Cyprus defence industry council in the coming days to finalise the national action plan for the European Union’s Safe financial instrument, according to defence capability development and armament director Panayiotis Hadjipavlis.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Hadjipavlis said the council, chaired by Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas, will hold an extraordinary meeting to review the ministry’s progress and decide on final recommendations before the plan’s submission to the European commission by November 30.

He explained that the ministry has been working systematically to prepare the Safe investment plan since June, aiming to include Cypriot defence and technology companies wherever possible. The council’s members include the presidents of the Cyprus chamber of commerce and industry (Keve), the employers and industrialists federation (Oev), and the Cyprus defence industry association.

The defence ministry has also been taking part in and co-organising events with foreign partners to strengthen cooperation between Cypriot and international defence companies. Over the next few weeks, activities will be held with the UK Ministry of Defence and the embassies of France and Poland, focusing on joint research, technology development, and procurement.

A team from the European defence agency (EDA) visited Cyprus on October 23-24 to explore new prospects for cooperation with EU member states. The EDA’s executive director met Minister Palmas during the visit. Hadjipavlis said relations between Cyprus and the agency remain “excellent”, noting that Cyprus is one of the organisation’s strongest supporters within the EU framework.

As part of research and innovation initiatives, a demonstration of two completed projects under the Athena defence research programme will take place on November 10 at a National Guard base. The projects include an anti-drone system and a situational awareness platform designed to assist battlefield decision-making. Two new programmes, Athena 2 and Athena Plus, are being prepared for launch in 2026 to build on this work.

Chadjipavlis said about 30 Cypriot companies are currently active in the defence sector, with growing interest from firms producing dual-use technologies. Several Cypriot companies are already part of European Defence Fund consortia, ranking Cyprus seventh in Europe for successful funding bids.

Upcoming defence events include a conference on technological developments in the sector on November 11-12, under the defence ministry’s auspices. The ministry will also join a joint event by Keve and the French Embassy, in cooperation with the deputy ministry of research, to promote modern technologies and dual-use products.

In early 2025, a bilateral conference in London will be co-organised with the UK Ministry of Defence and the Cyprus High Commission to foster partnerships between defence industry associations in both countries. A separate event with the Polish Embassy in Nicosia will focus on cybersecurity and cyber defence cooperation.

The ministry is also continuing discussions with European experts to prepare a comprehensive development toolkit for the Cypriot defence industry. This includes a national defence industry strategy, a detailed action plan, and updates to legislation and the national defence industry registry.

Cyprus has received €500,000 in EU funding to develop the package, following a competitive selection process. According to Hadjipavlis, Cyprus is among the few EU countries to receive such support, as most others fund similar initiatives from national budgets.