Belgium and the European Commission have signed a loan agreement that paves the way for €8.34 billion in favourable European loans for the Ministry of Defence, Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) announced on Friday.
Belgium, along with 18 other Member States, applied to participate in SAFE, a new European financing program of €150 billion for Member States wishing to invest jointly in the European defence industry and make joint military purchases to address weaknesses in European defence.
Belgium had to submit a national investment plan, which was approved in January.
"We are investing in capability, deterrence, and technological advantage. By cooperating with European partners and focusing on aerospace, drones, ammunition, and modern weapons systems, we are strengthening not only our armed forces but also our strategic autonomy. That is the core of a credible defence policy," said Francken.
Together with Minister of Finance Jan Jambon (N-VA), he signed the loan agreement this week, totalling €8.34 billion.
The submitted plan, with a clear emphasis on joint purchases with European partners and implementation in the period 2026–2030, includes "a wide range of investments in critical defence capabilities," according to the Ministry of Defence.
For instance, Belgium is investing in, among other things, Piorun and Mistral anti-aircraft missiles for the Special Operations Regiment, in various types of precision and loitering munitions essential for modern combat environments, in joint purchases of new land vehicles with France, and in strengthening drone capabilities and associated ammunition components for deployability in hybrid threat scenarios.
Additionally, together with the Netherlands, further investments are being made in air defence systems such as NASAMS and Skyranger, which substantially strengthen protection against air threats.
Furthermore, a joint space and satellite initiative with Luxembourg is being pursued, aimed at enhanced communications, observation capabilities, and better situational awareness for military operations.
"SAFE is European solidarity in practice. Loans supported by the European budget for our collective defence and security," said European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius.
"Strengthened defence not only increases security but also stimulates innovation and employment in Belgium and abroad," added his colleague responsible for the budget, Piotr Serafin.
Belgium is the fifth EU Member State to sign the agreement, following Poland, Lithuania, Croatia, and Romania.
Moreover, the European Commission reported on Friday that Poland has received the first tranche of €6.6 billion of its loan. Warsaw, which is thus the first to receive SAFE funds, takes the largest share of the €150 billion budget, at €43.7 billion.
It is not yet clear when Belgium will receive the first part of the money.
Following the signing of an operational agreement, which will take place at a later date, the state will receive an advance of 15% of the total amount, or over €1.2 billion.
