Having spent many years and hundreds of millions of euros encouraging the development and use of drones, the EU has for some time also been concerned about the “internal security implications” of the technology.
There have recently been a number of incursions into EU airspace by Russian drones, and the unexplained appearance of drones at airports and military sites across the EU.
A document (pdf) circulated by the Danish presidency of the Council of the EU on 11 November states:
Given the security risks and disruptions such incidents have caused and may cause in the future, there is a need to discuss appropriate measures for law enforcement to address this issue.
The document goes through “instruments in place at EU level,” such as the Commission’s “Counter-drone Expert Group (C-UASG)” and a plan for “upgrading the existing JRC [Joint Research Centre] living lab for testing counter-drone systems into a Counter-Drone Centre of Excellence.”
Substantial funding may also be offered:
…the Commission is currently exploring whether (and how) to provide additional funding to support Member States on counter-drone civilian security capabilities, through a call for a Specific Action to support border surveillance, including drones and counter-drones, for a total amount of EUR 250 million from the Thematic Facility of BMVI [Border Management and Visa Instrument] (possibly through joint procurement). If confirmed, the call could be launched between the end of the year and early 2026.
This would come on top of funding provided through the Horizon Europe research programme.
The document ends with two questions for member state delegations:
1. What are the main challenges faced by law enforcement authorities in responding to the threats posed by drones used for malicious purposes?
2. What action at EU level should be taken in your view to address the internal security implications of drones?
Documentation
- Drones – internal security implications (Council doc. 15128/25, LIMITE, 11 November 2025, pdf)
