SAFE Instrument: EU Opens Negotiations with the UK and Canada

On 18 September 2025, the Council of the European Union authorised the European Commission to open negotiations with the United Kingdom and Canada regarding their participation in the Security Action for Europe (SAFE), a €150 billion defence loan instrument. SAFE, established as the first pillar of the Commission’s ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, aims to provide long-maturity loans to Member States to finance common defence procurements. This marks a significant development in the EU’s defence investment architecture, as it explicitly extends the potential for third-country participation in joint procurements funded under EU mechanisms. The decision reflects the Union’s recognition of the urgent need to accelerate defence capability acquisition in light of the deteriorating geopolitical environment. By allowing the UK and Canada into structured procurement frameworks, the EU is testing how to align its strategic autonomy agenda with pragmatic cooperation among NATO allies outside the Union.