The EU’s 27 member states approved Poland’s 139 projects at a meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), following a green light from the European Commission in January. ECOFIN’s nod was the final stage in the approval process that started when Poland helped initiate the program in 2025 during its presidency of the Council. At its Tuesday sitting, the Council also approved the plans of seven other member states: Estonia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia. Tens of billions in loans Tuesday’s Council vote clears the way for Warsaw to sign a loan agreement in March, unlocking an advance of about €6.5 billion from the €43.7 billion the country has applied for under the program. Poland’s investment plan foresees roughly 80% of SAFE being spent domestically, supporting the country’s defense industry. The €150 billion SAFE program was created to rapidly boost Europe’s defense capabilities by offering low-interest loans for procurement, with a focus on equipment produced in Europe. Funding is geared toward shorter-term projects to be completed by 2030 as part of the EU’s broader defense-readiness push.
