BRUSSELS (CHATNEWSTV) — The European Union on Tuesday approved a landmark €150 billion defence instrument designed to ramp up joint military procurement and strengthen Europe’s defence readiness amid growing geopolitical threats.
The new regulation, known as the Security Action for Europe (SAFE), will enable EU member states to access competitively priced, long-term loans for large-scale defence investments—particularly in ammunition, air and missile defence, drones, cyber capabilities, and mobility infrastructure.
“This is not only a success of the presidency, but of the EU as a whole,” said Polish Minister for the European Union Adam Szłapka. “The more we invest in our security and defence, the better we deter those who wish us harm.”
SAFE will also extend cooperation to non-EU partners such as Ukraine, EEA-EFTA countries, EU accession candidates, and others with security partnerships, including the United Kingdom. These third countries will be allowed to participate in procurement programs and contribute through their defence industries.
Under the new program, funds will be disbursed based on national plans, with procurement contracts prioritizing joint purchases by at least two member states. However, due to the urgent need for defence readiness, the regulation allows temporary single-country procurement under certain conditions.
To ensure the resilience and autonomy of the European defence industrial base, the regulation stipulates that no more than 35% of defence product components may originate from outside the EU, EEA-EFTA countries, or Ukraine.
Products eligible for funding fall into two tiers. The first includes items such as ammunition, artillery, infantry systems, and cyber tools. The second tier—subject to stricter requirements—covers strategic enablers such as space assets, air-to-air refueling systems, and artificial intelligence.
Szłapka described SAFE as “the first large-scale defence investment programme on the EU level,” emphasizing its role in boosting European production capacity and addressing capability gaps.
The initiative is a pillar of the EU’s broader ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 strategy, which seeks to unlock more than €800 billion in defence spending through public and private channels. Other components of the strategy include activating national flexibility clauses under the Stability and Growth Pact and increasing defence investments through EU structural funds.
SAFE will enter into force on May 29, following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The Council’s decision follows conclusions made by EU leaders in March calling for a stronger and more sovereign Europe capable of acting autonomously in the face of emerging global threats. The European Council urged member states to close capability gaps and reduce strategic dependencies across the continent.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
