The European Commission has confirmed that an initial 18 member states have applied for a combined EUR127bln in loans to fund military procurement as part of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) Defence Instrument. Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Finland have all applied under the scheme, with applications running to 30 November.
- Euractiv outlines the process of application, assessment, and disbursal of funds: "Member states now have six months from the entry into force of the Regulation [29 May] to submit their initial national plans, which the Commission will then assess. Following a Commission proposal, the Council is expected to adopt implementing decisions, which will include the size of the loan and any pre-financing. Pre-financing, which can be up to 15% of the loan, will ensure that support can be paid swiftly to cover the most urgent needs, potentially starting in 2025. Member states will need to report on the progress of implementation when they submit their payment requests, which can be done twice a year. The last approval for disbursements can take place until 31 December 2030."
- The SAFE loans are seen as a major component of the 'Readiness 2030' plans (formerly known as 'ReArm Europe', but changed due to political sensitivities in Italy and Spain), alongside allowing the 'national escape clause' of the Stability and Growth Pact to allow for increased defence spending up to an additional 1% of GDP.