The European Commission has launched a one-year pilot program with Thales to test a secure digital collaboration platform designed for projects funded under the European Defence Fund (EDF).
The pilot will evaluate whether the platform can support the exchange, co-editing, storage, and management of sensitive project information while complying with the European Union’s “RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED” (EU-R) security classification.
The initiative is part of the EU’s push to shore up cybersecurity across cross-border defense research and development programs, which increasingly rely on digital collaboration among governments, industry, and research organizations.
How the Platform Works
The pilot uses Thales’ TrustNest R-Suite, hosted on the company’s TrustNest R-Cloud platform.
The system enables participants to collaborate on documents, conduct voice and video communications, and manage shared workspaces in an environment approved for handling EU-R information when connected to an authorized EU-R network.
As part of the project, the European Commission and France’s National Cybersecurity Agency have approved the interconnection between the TrustNest R-Cloud platform and the Commission’s EU-R network, clearing the way for the pilot to begin operating under that classification.
Christoph Siegelin, vice president of digital transformation at Thales, said secure digital tools are becoming increasingly important for multinational defense programs.
“Strengthening secure collaboration between European defence actors is a key lever for the success of EDF projects,” Siegelin said.
“It is essential to set up sovereign, cyber-secure and reliable digital tools, allowing the various partners to share sensitive information with confidence and in compliance with the strictest European requirements.”
TrustNest R-Suite was introduced in 2023, while the underlying TrustNest R-Cloud platform has been operating since 2022.
European Defence Fund
The European Defence Fund was established in 2021 to support joint defense research and capability projects across EU member states.
The program seeks to reduce fragmentation within Europe’s defense industry by encouraging collaboration among companies, research institutions, and governments from multiple countries.
As EDF-funded programs become more interconnected digitally, the Commission has been looking for ways for participants to exchange EU-R information without relying on commercial tools that may not meet EU security standards.
The Commission has not disclosed when it expects to complete the pilot or whether it intends to deploy the platform more broadly following the evaluation.
