Eight Countries Get Green Light Under SAFE Programme
The European Commission has approved defence investment plans from eight EU countries under a major new loan scheme designed to strengthen Europe’s military readiness. Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Finland will have access to a combined €74 billion through the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, part of the EU’s wider Readiness 2030 strategy. Poland alone accounts for €43.7 billion of the total.
SAFE is one of the flagship initiatives aimed at dramatically boosting defence spending before the end of the decade, as intelligence agencies warn that Russia could pose a direct threat to another European country within that timeframe.
This marks the second round of approvals. In January, eight other member states — Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal and Romania — had defence plans worth €38 billion approved.
From Defence Plans to Real Firepower
EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said the latest approvals show Europe is finally matching its security ambitions with serious funding. He said the bloc is moving beyond strategy papers and toward building real military capability, sending a clear signal to both defence manufacturers and potential adversaries that Europe is serious about its security and sovereignty.
So far, 19 EU member states have applied to use SAFE funding, with initial allocations agreed last September. Investment plans from Czechia, France and Hungary are still awaiting approval.
The programme is designed to accelerate the purchase of priority military equipment, including ammunition, missiles, artillery systems, drones and counter-drone technology, air and missile defence, cybersecurity tools, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare systems and protection for critical and space infrastructure.
Supporting European Industry and Faster Spending
A key requirement of SAFE is that most of the equipment must be produced in Europe. No more than 35% of component costs can come from outside the EU, EEA-EFTA countries or Ukraine. Canada will also be able to participate under a bilateral agreement with the bloc.
The scheme is particularly attractive to countries with weaker credit ratings, as they can borrow at better rates through the Commission than on their own. Germany, which already enjoys strong market access, chose not to apply for SAFE funding.
EU ministers now have four weeks to formally approve the plans, with the first payments expected in March 2026. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has previously suggested the programme could be expanded further, noting that demand has already exceeded the initial €150 billion available.
