Eight Countries Receive SAFE Funding
The European Commission has approved national defence investment plans from Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Finland under the EU’s €150 billion loan scheme, Security Action for Europe (SAFE). Collectively, these eight countries requested €74 billion, with Poland alone accounting for €43.7 billion.
SAFE is part of the broader Readiness 2030 package, which aims to inject hundreds of billions of euros into European defence by the end of the decade. The programme comes as intelligence agencies warn that Russia could pose a threat to another European country in the coming years. This marks the second round of approvals, following €38 billion granted to eight other nations in January.
Turning Strategy into Action
Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said the latest approvals demonstrate Europe’s commitment to its security ambitions. “We are no longer just drafting strategies; we are building a hard-power reality,” he stated. The programme sends a strong message to both European defence industries and potential adversaries that the EU is serious about maintaining military strength and sovereignty.
In total, 19 EU member states have applied to access SAFE funds, though plans from Czechia, France, and Hungary are still pending. EU ministers have four weeks to formally approve the latest plans, with the first payments expected in March 2026.
Boosting European-Made Defence Equipment
SAFE aims to accelerate the purchase of priority defence products, including ammunition, missiles, artillery, drones, anti-drone systems, air and missile defence, cybersecurity solutions, AI technology, and electronic warfare capabilities. A key condition is that the majority of equipment must be produced in Europe, with no more than 35% of component costs sourced outside the EU, EEA-EFTA, or Ukraine. Canada will also participate under a bilateral agreement.
The scheme is particularly attractive to countries with lower credit ratings, as it allows them to borrow at better rates than on their own. Germany, whose rating aligns with the Commission’s, did not apply for SAFE funds. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has suggested the programme may expand further, noting that initial demand from 19 participating countries already exceeded the €150 billion available.
