Plus Ethics at the EDF InfoDays 2025: Embedding Ethics in European Defence Innovation

On 2–3 April 2025, Plus Ethics participated in the European Defence Fund (EDF) InfoDays in Brussels, an event that outlined forthcoming funding opportunities and strategic priorities in EU defence research.

The sessions offered valuable insights into emerging technological trends and the evolving role of ethical oversight within the defence innovation ecosystem.

The European Union’s recent emphasis on strategic autonomy, reflected in the launch of the ReArm Europe plan, is reshaping the landscape of research and development in security and defence.

With a projected investment of up to €800 billion, this shift is accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and human–machine interaction tools.

Within this context, several project areas presented at the InfoDays raise significant ethical considerations.

These include autonomous triage and evacuation systems, AI-enabled soldier training, medical data processing and health monitoring technologies, and privacy-preserving human–AI dialogue systems.

In each case, the potential benefits are accompanied by questions of accountability, informed consent, data protection, and societal acceptance.

Particular attention was drawn to technologies involving sensitive personal data and real-time human decision-making—domains where ethical risks are substantial and existing legal safeguards may be insufficient.

For example, the use of behavioural analytics in military settings or the integration of augmented reality in training exercises necessitates a rigorous approach to ethical design and oversight.

Likewise, ensuring that end-users—whether military personnel or civilian stakeholders—are meaningfully consulted remains a key challenge for ensuring responsible innovation.

As the EU deepens its commitment to defence innovation, ethical alignment should be recognised as a core element of project legitimacy, not a secondary consideration.

Plus Ethics remains committed to supporting this alignment, ensuring that EU-funded security-focused research projects uphold the values of the Union and meets the highest standards of legal, social, and ethical responsibility.