EC’s tentative allocation to Bulgaria under SAFE: 3.2B euro

The European Commission (EC) adopted on September 9 the tentative allocation of 150 billion euro in financial assistance to strengthen defence readiness across the European Union, with the tentative allocation including 3.2 billion euro for Bulgaria, according to a statement by the EC.

“This major step, taken under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, is designed to boost the EU’s defence capabilities and help Member States address critical gaps, as well as to purchase defence products together,” the EC said.

Following its adoption by the Council of the EU in May 2025, the SAFE programme has drawn strong interest, with 19 EU member states expressing their intention to participate and seeking support beyond the available budget, the statement said.

“SAFE will provide long-term, low-cost loans to help Member States procure urgently needed defence equipment,” the EC said.

SAFE will also allow the EU to furthersupport Ukraine by associating its defence industry to the instrument from the start, it said.

The programme includes a 10-year grace period for loan repayment, competitive interest rates, and options for bilateral agreements with third countries to widen eligibility.

The EC said that EU member states can now prepare their national investment plans, describing the use of the possible financial assistance, to be presented by end November 2025.

The EC will then assess these national plans, with the aim of making the first payouts in early 2026, the statement said.

(Photo: Diehl Defence)