Italy to use EU SAFE scheme to fund defence spending, foreign minister says
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy has reserved the money but will decide by year-end how much to request, possibly about half.
- On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced Italy decided to request €14.9 billion from the European Union's SAFE scheme by year's end, reversing suggestions that Rome could drop the programme.
- Facing pressure to meet NATO spending targets while managing rising energy costs, the government previously indicated it might struggle to honor commitments without more lenient budget rules from Brussels.
- Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti will seek parliamentary approval next week to tap the 'national escape clause,' allowing Italy to post higher deficits through 2028 while funding existing defense projects, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said.
- League senator Claudio Borghi stated, 'It will be up to parliament to decide if and when to use that funding channel,' after Tajani clarified Italy merely 'reserved' the funds rather than committing to a specific demand.
- Italy retains flexibility to request only a portion of the funds to which it is entitled, with the final amount to be determined by the end of the year.
27 Articles
27 Articles
EU grows impatient over Italy's hesitancy on €14.9bn defence loan
Italy hasn't decided how much of its €14.9bn SAFE defence loan it will use, as several domestic considerations affect the calculus. But Brussels and other member states are growing impatient to reallocate any unspent funds within the legal deadlines.
Italy's League says parliament will have final say on EU defence funds
ROME, July 28 - Italy's League party, a member of the ruling coalition, said on Tuesday that any decision on whether to tap a European Union scheme to fund military spending would be up to parliament, after the foreign minister said Rome was ready to access the programme. Read more at straitstimes.com.
(Agenzia Vista) Rome, 28 July 2026 "The last thing about SAFE: we decided to, to reply to Mr Fassino, to use SAFE asking for a speech of 14 billion,9 by the end of the year, formulating our proposal. Then Mr Crosetto will say how to invest them in the following year." So Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, answering a question from Piero Fassino del Pd during a hearing in Rome in front of the united foreign commissions and Defense of Chamber and Se…
Antonio Tajani's statement shows that an agreement has reportedly been reached within the government alliance and that the persistent negative stance of the League and its Finance Minister, Giancarlo Giorgetti, regarding the possibility of activating the relevant loans has been overcome.
Crosetto: "Does not involve any additional military expenditures." Renzi: "They were already booked"
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