Security and defence: Heading 5 of the 2021-2027 MFF

In the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF), a separate Heading 5 is dedicated to security and defence. Although the European Union (EU) has already financed action linked to security and defence, this is the first time that this policy area has been so visibly underlined in the EU budget structure. With an allocation of €13 185 million (in 2018 prices), Heading 5 is the smallest of the seven MFF headings and represents 1.2 % of the total MFF. Under the new 2021 2027 MFF, Heading 5: Security and Defence consists of two 'policy clusters': security and defence, containing new and old initiatives. The security policy cluster includes the continuation of the Internal Security Fund – Police instrument, funding for nuclear decommissioning and funding for three EU decentralised agencies in the area of security. The defence policy cluster includes some novelties: a European Defence Fund and the military mobility programme, which is a part of the Connecting Europe Facility (TEN-Ts). This briefing presents the structure and budget allocations under Heading 5. It describes the policy clusters and programmes, including references to their new legal bases. Moreover the briefing sketches the evolution of Heading 5 in the context of MFF negotiations. This is an update of a briefing of January 2020.