Flags of the European Union in front of the Commission's headquarters in Brussels, March 18, 2025. (Credit: Yves Herman/Reuters.)
European Union countries have definitively adopted on Tuesday a framework agreement to facilitate their joint procurement of arms, as part of a European program endowed with approximately 150 billion euros, stated the EU Council.
This program, dubbed "Safe," provides loans of 150 billion euros to jointly finance purchases and armament projects in areas where the European supply remains inadequate, such as the production of missiles, ammunition, drones, or even anti-air defense systems. The decision, approved last week by the ambassadors of the 27 member states, was definitively adopted by the EU ministers of European Affairs, gathered in Brussels, as clarified by the Polish presidency of the Council, an entity that brings together the member states.
"This is only a step, and we will need to go further," welcomed French Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad.
Several non-EU countries will already be able to participate, such as Norway or Ukraine, as they are signatories to a defense and security partnership. Last week, the United Kingdom and the EU signed a similar partnership agreement in London, which will allow, after further negotiations, London to be fully integrated into this European program. This is an important element given the emphasis on the need to encourage the European defense industry while the majority of current armament purchases by EU countries are made outside Europe, mainly in the United States.
Supported by several member states, including France, these projects will have to be primarily executed by the European defense industry, with 65% of the components. The rest can come from non-member countries of the Safe program, such as the United States, up to 35%. To prevent a third country from being able to remotely control the armament produced thanks to one of its components, a central authority will be responsible for ensuring that this remains impossible.
The idea is, for instance, to prevent the American manufacturer of software integrated into a European drone, developed through this "Safe" program, from being remotely controlled from the United States, explained a European source. "Safe" is part of a larger program presented at the end of March by the European Commission, which aims to mobilize up to 800 billion euros to rearm the European continent.