The allocation comes from the existing €150 billion SAFE loan programme adopted in May 2025. Some countries requested less than their initial allocations when they submitted defence industry plans in November 2025, leaving funding available for another round.
Governments will submit the amounts they wish to borrow, taking account of national defence requirements. The Commission will inform them of tentative allocations within two weeks after the submission deadline.
The Commission is encouraging member states to include joint procurement with Ukraine in their investment plans. It said spending should prioritise urgent needs among both Ukrainian and EU armed forces.
Loan agreements have been approved for all 19 participating countries, and the Commission has signed agreements with 16. Almost €13.5 billion has been paid to 11 member states that requested prefinancing.
SAFE provides long-maturity loans to accelerate defence investment and encourage cooperation between buyers. It forms part of the EU’s Readiness 2030 initiative, which seeks to strengthen military readiness, resilience and Europe’s defence industrial base.
