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The European Union Commission is evaluating whether to include Türkiye in the €150 billion European Security Action Program (SAFE), with nearly all E.U. countries except Greece supporting the cooperation, Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said at a Brussels press conference on Wednesday.
Regnier confirmed the Commission is assessing applications from both Türkiye and South Korea for the defense program, responding to reports from Greek newspaper Kathimerini that Germany is pressuring Athens to accept Ankara's participation.
"If the Council approves this recommendation decision, we can begin bilateral negotiations to include Türkiye in our SAFE program. Currently, this is not the case," Regnier said.
Nearly all E.U. countries support defense cooperation with Türkiye, citing its position as NATO's second-largest army and flourishing defense industry, according to Kathimerini. Only France and the Greek Cypriot Administration (GCA) reportedly share Greece's objections, while Scandinavian countries also back Ankara's participation.
The Commission must recommend Türkiye's inclusion in the E.U. Council before any negotiations can begin, Regnier explained. He emphasized that member states' concerns would be taken "extremely seriously."
"Therefore, I'm making a general comment without establishing any connection with Türkiye. We will always take our member states' concerns extremely seriously," Regnier said, addressing potential safeguards against third countries acting contrary to E.U. interests.
The SAFE mechanism, which entered force on May 29, allows E.U. countries, Ukraine, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland to access up to €150 billion in credit for joint procurement. These countries can also make joint purchases from each other's industries.
E.U. candidate countries and nations with E.U. agreements, including Britain and potentially Türkiye, could participate in joint procurement. However, 65% of any manufactured defense product's component value must come from "within Europe" — meaning E.U. countries, Ukraine, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
The remaining 35% could come from countries in Türkiye and Britain's category, according to the program rules.
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SAFE forms part of the European Commission's ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, aiming to mobilize over €800 billion in defense spending. The program was adopted by E.U. leaders in May to provide competitively priced, long-term loans to accelerate urgent defense procurement.
The initiative emerged from the E.U.'s perceived threat from Russia, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and pressure from the Donald Trump administration in the United States. While loans will be available only to E.U. member states, Ukraine and European Free Trade Association-European Economic Area countries will also be eligible for joint procurement under the scheme.
Türkiye applied for E.U. membership in 1987 and has been a candidate country since 1999. Its membership negotiations started in 2005 but have stalled in recent years due to political hurdles erected by some countries.
The evaluation of Türkiye's SAFE participation comes amid broader defense cooperation discussions, including Germany's recent approval to negotiate Eurofighter jet sales to Ankara.
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