Commission invites Member States to a second SAFE round worth €21.3bn

The European Commission has invited Member States to take part in the second round of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, with an allocation of €21.3 billion. In a notice dated 29 October 2026, the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space said the call is open to all Member States.

The sum is part of the €150 billion in long-maturity SAFE loans adopted in May 2025. Member States submitted their defence industry plans in November 2025, and the Commission noted that some requested lower amounts than those initially agreed.

Once the Commission receives target amounts from Member States, it will tell them their tentative allocations within two weeks of the submission deadline. The notice does not give a date for that deadline.

The Commission encourages Member States to use the funds to strengthen cooperation with Ukraine, including by adding common procurement with Ukraine to their investment plans. It also asks them to prioritise the urgent needs of Ukrainian and Member State armed forces in three areas: air and missile defence systems, drones and counter-drone systems, and ammunition and missiles.

On the instrument so far, the notice reports that the EU has approved loan agreements from all 19 Member States that chose to take part. The Commission has signed the agreements with 16 of them, and has disbursed almost €13.5 billion across 11 Member States that requested prefinancing.

The Commission describes SAFE as a key component of its Readiness 2030 plan, aimed at accelerating investment in defence capabilities and strengthening the defence industrial base through joint procurement.