SAFE: final green light for financial assistance to Czechia and France
The Council has adopted implementing decisions making financial assistance under SAFE available to two more EU member states: Czechia and France. SAFE is an EU financial instrument supporting member states in investing in defence industrial production through common procurement of priority capabilities.
The decision, adopted on 10 April, follows two previous batches of Council implementing decisions concerning financial assistance to Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Croatia, Portugal, Romania on 11 February and Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Finland on 17 February.
"Strengthening the Union’s defence readiness and strategic autonomy, by reducing dependencies and enhancing the EU’s capacity to respond effectively and proactively, is a Cyprus Presidency key priority. SAFE secures our Union’s future, by making sure that our defence industry is equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow."
For Czechia, the Commission has allocated a maximum loan amount of €2.06 billion, which includes an initial pre-financing payment of €309 million, while France is set to receive a maximum loan amount of approximately €15.09 billion. Of this total, the pre-financing payment amounts to roughly €2.26 billion.
Find more information on the official website of the Council of the European Union.
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