Investment program in large scale defense at EU level

The Council of the European Union on Tuesday adopted a regulation for the establishment of the action for Europe (SAFE), a new financial tool that will support the Member States willing to invest in industrial defense production through common acquisitions, focused on priority capacities, a statement broadcast on the Council website.

Safe will finance urgent and large -scale urgent investments on the technological and industrial European defense basis (EDTIB). The objective is to stimulate the production capacity, ensuring the availability of defense equipment in case of necessity, as well as the intervention in the existing capacity gaps, ultimately strengthening the general preparation of the EU for defense.

Safe will also allow the Union to continue to support Ukraine, associating its defense industry from the new tool.

The Polish Minister for EU Adam Szlapka said: « We adopted the first large -scale EU investment program, worth 150 billion euros. This is an unprecedented tool that will stimulate our defense capabilities and support our defense industry. The more we invest in security and defense, the more we will discourage us. »

Regarding the operating mode of Safe, the Council’s statement shows that through the respective EU instrument provides 150 billion euros, which will be paid on request to interested Member States, based on national plans. The payments will be made in the form of long -term loans with competitive costs, which will be repaid by the beneficiary states.

Safe will enter into force on the day following publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, that is, on May 29, 2025.

In the conclusions of March 6, the European Council stressed that Europe must become a sovereign and liable for its own defense, be better equipped to cope with the problems and threats of the very close and longer future.