European ministers accepted the SAFE programme developed by the European Commission. This is simply a fresh mechanics for financing defence spending in the Union. It assumes that around EUR 150 billion will be allocated to low-interest loans to associate States, including the acquisition of arms and ammunition. Poland expects about 20% of this amount.
– We adopted the first large-scale defence investment programme at EU level worth EUR 150 billion," said Adam Szpiecka, who represented Poland at a gathering of European ministers in Brussels. – It is an unprecedented instrument that will strengthen our defence capabilities and support our weapons industry. The more we invest in safety and defence, the better we will scare those who want to harm us," added the Polish minister for the European Union.
SAFE assumes that low-interest and long-term loans are granted to states and European arms companies. The programme is intended to strengthen global cooperation within the Union and to increase procurement in European industry. Therefore, the condition for the investment to be financed by SAFE will be to submit a joint proposal by at least 2 countries, and the cost of components originating outside the EU, Ukraine, Norway and Switzerland will not be higher than 35% of the cost of the final product.
However, there will be an exception to this first rule. For the first year of the SAFE, the Union shall authorise the submission of applications by individual Community members. It was 1 of the demands that Poland sought to accept. The second regulation for which the Polish government effectively lobbied was to let backing investment already started.
The resources from SAFE will be allocated on the basis of alleged defence plans drawn up by the associate States and approved by the European Commission. Preliminary estimates provided by the government say that Poland can number on up to 20 percent of the full SAFE budget. As Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish informed a fewer days ago, these funds could be utilized to finance the production of, among others, Baobab mine-mining systems, Piorun anti-aircraft rocket kits, Krab cannons, or Badger Infantry Trucks.
– Exceptional times require exceptional measures," commented Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission today, "Europe must take on most of its work for its own safety and defence. Thanks to SAFE, we are not only investing in state-of-the-art capabilities for our Union, Ukraine and the full continent, we are besides strengthening the European defence technology and manufacture base,” added German politicians.
