Brussels (ANSA) – Italy will receive 14.9 billion euros out of the 150 billion of the Safe program, which is part of RearmEU. In total, 19 European countries have requested loans provided by the European Commission. “Today we are sending a strong political message,” commented the Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.
However, Poland stands out in first place, with 43 billion allocated, followed by France, Romania, and Hungary, with about 16 billion each. The figures are preliminary, as each country will now have to provide a “detailed plan” (by November) on how it intends to utilize the funding.
At that point, the Commission’s technicians will review the documents to ensure that the projects meet the criteria set out in the regulation. If everything goes according to plan, the EU Council will approve by the end of the year, and the funds will start being transferred to the member states, approximately by the first quarter of 2026.
“Safe is a historic success for the EU,” noted Kubilius. “With the white paper on Defense, we committed to supporting the rearmament of European states and Ukraine, and less than six months later, here we are.” Safe provides loans at competitive rates and long terms to states and will finance urgent and large-scale procurement initiatives, ensuring that the European defense industry can supply the necessary equipment when it is most needed.
To maximize impact and reduce fragmentation, projects will rely on joint procurement, involving at least one member state benefiting from Safe and other member states, as well as Ukraine and the EEA-EFTA countries (however, in light of current geopolitical realities, Safe will temporarily support the procurement of individual member states to ensure the timely delivery of critical goods).
The EU loans for financing the new program will allow for long-term loans at competitive prices and attractive structures to member states that apply for them. The terms of these loans benefit from the EU’s strong credit rating (September 9).
