The European Commission adopted the tentative allocation of €150 billion in financial assistance to strengthen defence readiness across the Union. This major step, taken under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, is designed to boost the EU’s defence capabilities and help Member States address critical gaps, as well as to purchase defence products together.
The tentative allocation per Member States is available here.
Following its adoption by the Council in May 2025, the SAFE programme has drawn strong interest, with 19 Member States expressing their intention to participate and seeking support beyond the available budget.
SAFE will provide long-term, low-cost loans to help Member States procure urgently needed defence equipment. SAFE will also allow the EU to further support Ukraine by associating its defence industry to the instrument from the start. The programme includes a 10-year grace period for loan repayment, competitive interest rates, and options for bilateral agreements with third countries to widen eligibility.
Member States can now prepare their national investment plans, describing the use of the possible financial assistance, to be presented by end November 2025. The Commission will then assess these national plans, with the aim of making the first disbursements in early 2026.
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Source: European Commission | European Commission Representation in Cyprus | News (https://tinyurl.com/ydexem6v)