Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK will ‘look at schemes like SAFE’ in spite of talks breaking down last year after the EU proposed a reported entry fee of around €2bn.
Speaking during a visit to East Asia, Starmer said, “Europe, including the UK, needs to do more on security and defence. That’s an argument I’ve been making for many months now with European leaders.”
He added, “I do think on spend, capability and co-operation we need to do more together,” he added. “I’ve made the argument and that should require us to look at schemes like SAFE and others to see whether there is a way in which we can work more closely together.”
Key points
• SAFE uses the EU balance sheet to support low-cost loans for defence projects
• If the UK were to join a future round of SAFE, it would allow its defence companies to supply up to 50 per cent of a collaborative project with other European countries — the current limit for non-participants is 35 per cent — and to lead projects.
• France, led by Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin, maintains its position on UK terms
The issue sits within a broader effort by the UK and EU to reset post-Brexit relations, with both sides seeking closer cooperation on trade, security and foreign policy. Senior ministers and officials are due to meet in London to advance this agenda, though substantive gaps remain on key areas, including youth mobility and regulatory alignment.
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