The European Commission is inviting all member states to take part in the second round of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument. This round covers 21.3 billion euros. The funds are intended to strengthen defence readiness and support for Ukraine, including through joint procurement with Ukraine.
This is stated in a notice from the Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space, published on 29 October. Member states must first indicate how much they wish to borrow. The Commission will then announce preliminary allocations within two weeks of the application deadline.
According to the Commission, member states should prioritise urgent needs for both Ukraine's and their own armed forces. This includes air and missile defence, drones and counter-drone capabilities, as well as ammunition and missiles. Countries are also encouraged to include joint procurement with Ukraine in their investment plans.
According to the Commission's page on SAFE, projects are generally based on joint procurement between at least two countries, at least one of which receives a SAFE loan. Ukraine and the EEA/EFTA countries (European Economic Area/European Free Trade Association) may participate under certain conditions, and individual member states are temporarily permitted to carry out procurements on their own. At least 65 percent of the cost of components must originate from the EU, Ukraine, or EEA/EFTA countries that meet the relevant conditions.
The second round forms part of the long-term SAFE loans, totalling 150 billion euros, which were adopted in May 2025. In November 2025, member states submitted their defence industry plans.
The EU has approved loan agreements for all 19 member states that chose to take part. The Commission has signed loan agreements with 16 of them. So far, nearly 13.5 billion euros have been paid out in advance to the eleven member states that requested it.
Denmark and Finland are among the 19 countries. NDS has previously reported on when Denmark and Finland received approval for their plans, and on when 16 EU countries were given the green light for SAFE loans in February.
The Commission describes SAFE as a key component of Readiness 2030. The aim is to accelerate defence investment, strengthen preparedness and resilience, and reinforce the defence industrial base through cooperation and joint procurement.