Council of the EU and European Commission · Regulation (EU) 2025/1106

Supplier readiness with GetGrant

SAFE: defence procurement by EU states

SAFE awards no grants and accepts no applications from companies. It is the money EU states use to pay for weapons, and a Ukrainian manufacturer can be among the suppliers. The question is not “how to apply” but “how to get into a procurement”.

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Start with a one-hour consultation: we check whether your company and product meet the SAFE conditions.

About the programme

What the programme is and who it is for

What it funds

Security Action for Europe is an EU instrument that gives Member States long-term loans for common procurement of weapons. A company receives no money directly: it receives a contract from the purchasing state.

Who funds it

The loans are provided by the European Commission on behalf of the EU to Member States under their national plans. The buyer and the contracting party is always an authority of an EU state, not the Commission. Ukraine cannot borrow, but it can be a party to a common procurement.

Who it suits

  • Ukrainian manufacturers of weapons, ammunition, unmanned and counter-drone systems with a serial product
  • Companies setting up joint ventures or localising production with partners from the EU
  • Not for developers without serial production, or for companies controlled by third countries
Official pages: Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1106 on SAFE DG DEFIS: SAFE – Security Action for Europe European Commission: provisional allocation of SAFE funds (9 September 2025) European Commission: approval of the first national plans (15 January 2026) European Commission: state of SAFE and the second call for applications (29 October 2026) Ministry of Defence of Ukraine: does SAFE help integrate Ukraine’s defence industry Government of Ukraine: EUR 200 million under SAFE for drone production with Romania Government of Ukraine: Drone Deal procedure shortened to 30 days
In depth

The programme in detail

SAFE (Security Action for Europe) is the instrument through which the EU borrows up to EUR 150 billion on the markets and passes the money on to Member States as long-term loans for defence procurement. The legal basis is Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1106 of 27 May 2025. The states submitted national plans; the Commission made a provisional allocation of funds among 19 countries in September 2025 and approved the plans in January and March 2026. As of 29 October 2026, loan agreements have been signed with 16 states and almost EUR 13.5 billion has already been disbursed.

For a company the logic is fundamentally different from that of a grant. SAFE accepts no applications from manufacturers, launches no calls for companies and pays them no money directly. The buyer is an EU state, and it is the state that chooses the supplier. What is more, the regulation allows a negotiated procedure without publication of a contract notice in SAFE procurements, so there may be no open tender to follow at all. Supplies under such contracts are exempt from VAT.

The regulation places Ukraine alongside the EEA-EFTA countries. It cannot borrow, but it can be the second party to a common procurement, and Ukrainian companies can be contractors and subcontractors. The conditions are the same as for European ones: establishment and management in an eligible country, no control by another third country, production assets on eligible territory, and no more than 35% of the value of components from outside the EU, EEA-EFTA and Ukraine. The wording “on equal terms” belongs to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, not to the text of the regulation, but in substance the conditions are the same.

The practical route for a Ukrainian manufacturer is not filing documents but positioning: being known to the states that buy your category of product, and having a partner in the EU. Neither the Commission nor the Ukrainian authorities have published step-by-step guidance for companies; the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine describes two roles – supplier and project partner. So this page says it honestly: we do not “apply to SAFE”, we prepare a company for procurement. If what you need is grant money to expand production for such orders, see the Ukraine Support Instrument.

Status of the instrument: Procurement, not a grant

As of 29 October 2026, loan agreements have been approved for all 19 states and signed with 16, and almost EUR 13.5 billion has already been disbursed to 11 states. The Commission has opened a second call for applications from states, worth EUR 21.3 billion and open to all 27 countries, and encourages them to include common procurements with Ukraine; the Commission’s announcement gives no deadline. The window for procurement by a single state closed on 30 May 2026, so only common procurement is now on the table. Disbursements under the loans are possible until 31 December 2030.

Programme terms

Key facts about “SAFE: defence procurement by EU states”

Only what is confirmed in the official programme sources, as of 13.11.2026.

What it is

Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1106 of 27 May 2025: up to EUR 150 billion in loans to EU states for up to 45 years, with pre-financing of up to 15%. The Commission has reported a ten-year grace period for repayment.

Why it is not a grant

The loan goes to an EU state, which spends it on procurement. For a company SAFE is a source of orders. Grants for Ukrainian manufacturers come from a different instrument: the Ukraine Support Instrument under EDIP.

Who can be a contractor

A company established and with its executive management in the EU, EEA-EFTA countries or Ukraine, not controlled by another third country. The production assets for the contract must be located there too.

The 65% rule

No more than 35% of the value of the end product’s components may originate outside the EU, EEA-EFTA countries and Ukraine. For complex category 2 systems the contractor must control the design without third-country restrictions.

What is procured

Category 1: ammunition and missiles, artillery, ground systems and equipment, small drones and counter-drone systems, cyber, military mobility. Category 2: air and missile defence, maritime systems, larger drones, strategic enablers, AI and electronic warfare.

Ukraine in national plans

According to Commission statements, Ukraine is included in 15 of the 19 national plans submitted. The Commission has published neither the amounts nor a list of the states. One example is EUR 200 million under SAFE for joint drone production in Romania: the parties are preparing for launch.

Sources: Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1106 on SAFE, DG DEFIS: SAFE – Security Action for Europe, European Commission: provisional allocation of SAFE funds (9 September 2025), European Commission: approval of the first national plans (15 January 2026), European Commission: state of SAFE and the second call for applications (29 October 2026), Ministry of Defence of Ukraine: does SAFE help integrate Ukraine’s defence industry, Government of Ukraine: EUR 200 million under SAFE for drone production with Romania, Government of Ukraine: Drone Deal procedure shortened to 30 days.

Check terms and deadlines on the official programme page before applying: they are updated from round to round.

Expert consultation

Discuss with an expert whether your company can enter SAFE-funded procurement

A one-hour online session with a GetGrant specialist who works with this programme. You get an honest answer on whether you qualify and a plan for the coming weeks.

How we help with this programme

  • We assess whether the company and the product meet the SAFE conditions: control, location of assets, share of components, rights to the design.
  • We prepare an English-language profile of production capabilities and a document pack for talks with the purchasing state or a European partner.
  • We match grant funding to the order: the Ukraine Support Instrument for capacity ramp-up, EUDIS and Brave1 for refining the product.
Analysis

Requirements, stages and what to watch for

Our analysis is based on the official programme rules and GetGrant materials. Check the current call before applying: conditions change from round to round.

01Conditions for a contractor

  • The company is established and has its executive management in the EU, an EEA-EFTA country or Ukraine, and is not controlled by another third country or an entity from one (Article 16(3) of the regulation).
  • The infrastructure, equipment, assets and resources for performing the contract are located in the EU, EEA-EFTA or Ukraine (Article 16(8)).
  • The value of components from outside the EU, EEA-EFTA and Ukraine is no more than 35% of the estimated value of the end product’s components (Article 16(10)).
  • For category 2 products the contractor has the ability to define and modify the design without restrictions imposed by third countries (Article 16(11)).
  • Separate requirements for subcontractors start at a share of 15% of the contract value (Article 16(12)).
  • The “guarantees” route for companies under foreign control is worded in the regulation for entities established in the EU. On the text, it does not extend to a company registered in Ukraine; we have found no official clarification on this.

02What is procured

  • Category 1: ammunition and missiles; artillery, including deep precision strike capabilities; ground combat systems and soldier equipment; small drones (NATO Class 1) and means of countering them; critical infrastructure protection; cyber; military mobility.
  • Category 2: air and missile defence; surface and underwater maritime systems; Class 2–3 drones and countering them; strategic enablers – airlift, refuelling, C4ISTAR, space; protection of space assets; artificial intelligence and electronic warfare.
  • For category 2 the requirements are stricter: control over the design without third-country restrictions.
  • Since 31 May 2026 only common procurements are funded: at least two parties, one of which may be Ukraine.

03How it works and timing

  • An EU state submits a national plan; the Commission approves it and concludes a loan agreement; the loan runs for up to 45 years, with pre-financing of up to 15%.
  • Provisional allocation of funds among 19 states – 9 September 2025. The plans were approved on 15 and 26 January and 25 March 2026.
  • Status as of 29 October 2026: agreements approved for all 19 states, signed with 16, almost EUR 13.5 billion disbursed to 11 states.
  • Second call for applications from states: EUR 21.3 billion, open to all 27 countries. The Commission encourages including common procurements with Ukraine. The official announcement gives no deadline.
  • Disbursements to states are possible until 31 December 2030, so contracts under SAFE will be concluded for several more years.

04Specifics and pitfalls

  • There may be no open tender: the regulation allows a negotiated procedure without publication of a contract notice. Without contact with the purchasing state or a European partner you may never learn of a procurement.
  • The Commission has not published how much the national plans set aside for procurement from Ukraine or with Ukraine. We do not quote figures from the media here.
  • Supplies abroad require a permit from the State Service of Export Control. For Drone Deal partner countries the procedure has been shortened to 30 days, and the minimum contract is UAH 15 million; orders from the Defence Forces of Ukraine take priority.
  • The 35% rule is calculated on the value of the end product’s components. Dependence on Asian components can close the route into a procurement before price talks even begin.
  • As of 13 November 2026 there is no official proposal for a “SAFE II”: there is only a second call for applications within the same EUR 150 billion.
  • No one can “guarantee inclusion” in a SAFE procurement. We prepare the company and the documents, and the state chooses the supplier.

05What to prepare in advance

  • A profile of production capabilities in English: products, volumes, certificates, experience of supplying the Defence Forces, codification.
  • An ownership and control chart down to the ultimate beneficial owners.
  • A table of the origin of components with their value: the share from outside the EU, EEA-EFTA and Ukraine – up to 35%.
  • Documents on the rights to the design, especially for category 2 products.
  • A decision on the market entry model: direct supply, a joint venture or localising production in an EU state.
  • Registration with the State Service of Export Control and an understanding of which permit your products will need.
Support

What we do

You are not left alone with the application form: we prepare the document package and support you until the decision.

  1. 1

    Review and eligibility check

    A short call or email exchange: whether you and the project meet the conditions, which programme and amount fit, and what is missing.

  2. 2

    Application in the programme format

    We write the application exactly in the form the programme requires: business plan, technology description, financial plan and budget that are consistent with each other.

  3. 3

    Documents and verification

    We collect annexes: cost estimates, supplier quotes, pitch deck, documents for premises or land. Everything is checked against the requirements before submission.

  4. 4

    Submission and defence

    You sign and submit the application; we stay with you at every step and prepare you for the interview, pitch or jury session.

For this programme

  • We assess whether the company and the product meet the SAFE conditions: control, location of assets, share of components, rights to the design.
  • We prepare an English-language profile of production capabilities and a document pack for talks with the purchasing state or a European partner.
  • We match grant funding to the order: the Ukraine Support Instrument for capacity ramp-up, EUDIS and Brave1 for refining the product.
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What we say plainly

  • No grant is guaranteed. The decision is made by the funder: the state, a fund or a jury. We build a strong and consistent package, but we do not influence the decision.
  • You submit the application yourself. The applicant submits and signs the application in Diia, on the USF portal or the EU portal. We prepare the documents and support you, but do not apply on your behalf.
  • We quote the price after the first conversation. The scope depends on the programme, the amount and what you already have. We state the cost and timing before work begins.
Our services

How GetGrant can help with this programme

Choose the format: a one-hour expert consultation, a turnkey application or preparatory work. Prices are listed where they are fixed; for the rest we quote after a short conversation.

Consultation

Consultation with a GetGrant expert

An online meeting on your project: eligibility, realistic amount, weak points of the application and a preparation plan.

€92 · per hour

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Service

Grant application writing

We prepare the application for the call you chose: from structuring the idea to the budget and a final review before submission.

Price after a short conversation

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Service

Project commercialisation

We move your development into market terms: who buys it, at what price, and which steps come first.

Price after a short conversation

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Service

Project audit

An independent check of a project already running: whether you are on schedule and on budget, and what the donor will see in the report.

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Want to become a supplier in SAFE-funded procurement?

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