Eight Countries Receive SAFE Funding Approval
The European Commission has given the green light to defence investment plans from Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Finland under the EU’s €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme. Together, these countries requested €74 billion, with Poland accounting for €43.7 billion alone.
SAFE is a major part of the EU’s Readiness 2030 initiative, which aims to channel hundreds of billions of euros into defence by the end of the decade amid concerns that Russia could pose a direct threat to Europe. This second round of approvals follows €38 billion granted in January to Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, and Romania.
Turning Plans Into Action
EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said the latest approvals show Europe is moving beyond planning and committing real financial resources to strengthen its military capabilities. “We are no longer just drafting strategies; we are building a hard-power reality,” he said. “This is a clear signal to European industry and our adversaries alike: Europe is serious about its strength and sovereignty.”
So far, 19 member states have applied for SAFE funding, with provisional allocations agreed last September. The investment plans from Czechia, France, and Hungary are still pending. EU ministers now have four weeks to formally approve the plans, with the first payments expected in March 2026.
Boosting European Defence and Industry
SAFE funding is intended to accelerate the procurement of critical defence equipment, including missiles, artillery, drones, air and missile defence systems, cybersecurity and AI technology, and electronic warfare systems. A key requirement is that the majority of equipment must be produced in Europe, with no more than 35% of component costs coming from outside the EU, EEA-EFTA countries, or Ukraine. Canada, under a bilateral agreement, is also eligible to participate.
The programme is particularly advantageous for countries with lower credit ratings, offering more favourable borrowing terms than they could secure independently. Germany, with a strong credit rating, chose not to apply.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has indicated that the programme’s popularity—already oversubscribed with requests exceeding the €150 billion budget—could lead to future expansion.
