European Economic
and Social Committee
EESC supports SAFE instrument and calls for broader EU defence strategy rooted in peace and resilience
At its July plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) backed new EU proposals to strengthen Europe’s defence readiness, while underlining the need to preserve democratic values and promote a long-term strategy for peace.
In a recently adopted opinion, the EESC expressed strong support for Security Action for Europe (SAFE), a new EU instrument designed to finance joint defence procurement and boost the European defence industry. The Committee urges Member States to make full use of SAFE, highlighting its potential to boost investment in European-made technologies, enhance strategic autonomy and improve the security of supply across the EU.
According to EESC rapporteur Maurizio Mensi, SAFE marks a critical step forward: ‘EU initiatives on the defence industry must urgently strengthen the capacity of the EU and its Member States to safeguard peace and security.’
SAFE is seen as a response to growing geopolitical instability and the urgent need to scale up Europe’s defence capabilities in a coordinated and cost-effective way. The EESC emphasises that funding should prioritise the most pressing capability gaps, while also strengthening the EU’s industrial base and future freedom of action. It insists that high-value, complex systems must be sourced from within Europe, ensuring control over product design and long-term adaptability.
Co-rapporteur Jan Pie emphasised that SAFE should be a starting point and that future efforts should include additional EU resources, with grants complementing loans to support longer-term investment in defence.
The opinion also supports limited third-country participation in joint procurement, restricted to partners with formal defence agreements with the EU. Ukraine, Norway and the UK are explicitly welcomed, while the participation of non-aligned industrial actors is viewed as a risk to Europe’s technological independence.
Beyond the SAFE regulation, the Committee calls for broader action. In the opinion on the Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2023 adopted at the same plenary session, the EESC stresses that a robust defence strategy cannot be developed in isolation. As EESC member Marcin Nowacki, rapporteur for the opinion, put it: ‘With rising threats and war on Europe’s doorstep, the EU must act now. Defence is more than weapons – it’s innovation, industry and resilience. We must build our own defence technology – supporting industry and research, and cutting red tape.’
Co-rapporteur Carlos Manuel Trindade expressed concern that the limited flexibility proposed by the European Commission through national safeguard clauses may not be enough to avoid trade-offs between defence spending and essential social investment.
The Committee argues that security must go hand in hand with democratic strength. As threats to democratic systems grow, particularly in neighbouring regions, Europe’s response must combine military preparedness with stronger efforts to foster peace, resilience and innovation.
To that end, the EESC urges the EU to accelerate work on a common defence policy, supported by appropriate legislation and funding. It recommends closer cooperation with global partners, greater involvement of research institutions and more support for SMEs working in the defence sector. Defence readiness, in the Committee’s view, should be understood as part of a wider strategic agenda, one that includes civil infrastructure, digital resilience and societal cohesion.
Together, the two opinions present a vision of EU defence policy that is both pragmatic and principled, focusing on readiness while being anchored in democratic values and collective responsibility.