The European Commission has included CEOE Aragón in the European Network of Defense-Related Regions (ENDR), a platform connecting regional organizations and clusters across the European Union, Norway, and Ukraine. The move opens a channel to bring industrial, technological, and funding opportunities linked to European defense policy closer to companies in Aragon.
CEOE Aragón joins European network of 139 defense-related organizations
CEOE Aragón’s entry into the ENDR will enable it to exchange best practices and growth strategies related to the defense sector, as well as access information on funding avenues. The organization will be able to identify and publicize calls for proposals, innovation projects, and potential international collaborations among companies in the region.
The network also aims to facilitate the participation of Aragonese companies in domestic and European supply chains, as well as in international projects. Alongside CEOE Aragón, the ENDR has added four new members from Germany, Portugal, and Ukraine, bringing its total to 139 European organizations.
The addition comes amid a push for a new European defense industrial policy and the expansion of programs aimed at strengthening the European Union’s technological, production, and strategic capabilities. These include the European Defence Fund.
Aragonese SMEs and dual-use sectors among potential beneficiaries
CEOE Aragón says its presence in the ENDR will help raise the profile of the capabilities of Aragon’s productive base in Europe and facilitate the participation of companies of all sizes, with particular attention to SMEs.
The opportunities are not limited to companies already working directly for the defense sector. They also extend to businesses whose technologies or capabilities can be applied in both civilian and military settings. The text identifies advanced manufacturing, automotive, unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, telecommunications, aerospace, energy solutions, and logistics as sectors with potential.
CEOE Aragón’s international director, Jorge Alonso, said the addition “strengthens Aragon’s presence in the European forums where new industrial and technological opportunities linked to defense are being defined.” Alonso also highlighted Aragon’s industrial, technological, and logistics capabilities.
