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Belgium's defense minister announced that the country will access 8.34 billion euros in financing through the European Union's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program, a landmark joint defense funding mechanism that entered into force on May 29, 2025, as part of the bloc's broader push to rearm amid persistent security threats from Russia.
Defense Minister Theo Francken made the announcement via his account on X, saying Belgium would use the favorable European financing to accelerate defense investments with its European partners.
The areas of focus include air defense, drones, precision-guided munitions, satellite systems, and protection against hybrid threats.
"We are investing in modern capabilities that are critical in today's conflicts," Francken said, adding that the announcement represented "an important step for the security of our country and Europe."
Francken also thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Jan Jambon, along with European Commission members Piotr Serafin and Andrius Kubilius, for their contributions to shaping a stronger European defense policy.
The announcement reflects a broader reorientation of Belgian defense policy that has accelerated in recent years, driven by the ongoing war in Ukraine and a shifting security environment across the continent.
The government has prioritized raising its defense budget, expanding military capacity, and positioning Belgium more prominently within European defense supply chains, all while working toward NATO spending targets. Francken has repeatedly cited Türkiye as a role model in this regard.
SAFE, which took effect on May 29, 2025, is a centerpiece of the EU's Readiness 2030 defense agenda, a package of financial instruments designed to drive a surge in collective defense investment.
Under the program, the EU leverages its triple-A credit rating to raise funds on financial markets and lend them to member states at competitive rates, with a ten-year grace period on repayment.
The instrument provides up to 150 billion euros in long-term, low-cost loans for joint procurement of priority defense equipment, ranging from ammunition and missile systems to drones, cyber capabilities, and space assets.
Eligible participants include EU member states, Ukraine, and European Economic Area members Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland. EU candidate countries, including Türkiye, as well as third countries with bilateral agreements with the EU, such as Canada, may also participate in joint procurement.
However, at least 65 percent of the total value of components in any defense product manufactured under the program must originate from within the "European perimeter," defined as EU member states, Ukraine, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland.
The program has drawn wide interest across the bloc, with 19 member states having indicated their intention to participate and requested support that exceeds the total available budget.
Member states were expected to submit national investment plans by the end of November 2025, with the European Commission assessing those plans ahead of first disbursements in early 2026. Poland, which held the EU Council presidency at the time of the program's adoption, called SAFE an unprecedented instrument.
"The more we invest in our security and defense, the better we deter those who wish us harm," said Polish Minister for the European Union Adam Szlapka.
Belgium's access to 8.34 billion euros represents one national allocation within that broader framework, as Europe moves to consolidate its defense industrial base and reduce reliance on fragmented national procurement.
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