Security Action for Europe (SAFE) through the reinforcement of the European defence industry instrument

Key points

The EESC:

• underscores underscores that the implementation of the ‘SAFE’ instrument must be guided by the principles enshrined in the Treaty on European Union, contributing also to peace in respect of the United Nations Charter;
• emphasises that SAFE should contribute to increasing investment in the European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB) and to reducing dependencies, in order to reinforce Europe’s freedom of action and security of supply in this area;
• recommends that the Member States urgently make maximum use of SAFE, in line with their respective financial situations and in a coordinated manner, considering its attractive financing and accompanying facilitations, as well as that investments under SAFE (e.g. for military mobility) may also contribute to competitiveness and civilian objectives;
• stresses the importance of focusing investment on the key capability needs identified, within an EU framework, by the Member States and directing this investment towards the EDTIB;
• underlines the need to address the Member States’ urgent needs while also reinforcing the EU’s defence readiness and the competitiveness of the EDTIB and safeguarding Member States’ future freedom of action;
• strongly supports the strict application, when implementing SAFE (e.g. in the case of over-subscription), of the principle of European preference, reflected in the requirement for a substantial degree of EU content and, for complex (category 2) products, also the ability to decide, without third-country restrictions, on the definition, adaptation and evolution of product design (the ‘design authority’ principle), and suggests that, for less-complex (category 1) products where the issue of design authority is relevant, incentives be provided for the procurement of products where this authority is in Europe;
• stresses that the participation in SAFE of non-EU countries – and their respective industries – beyond Ukraine and the EEA EFTA countries, must be open only to like-minded partners that have signed a ‘security and defence partnership’ with the EU, and that any participation of third-country industries should not undermine the main objective of the instrument, i.e. strengthening the EDTIB and reducing dependencies on non-European suppliers;
• underlines that SAFE should serve as a starting point on which to build for mobilising additional resources and calls on the Member States to urgently take action in this regard.