Italy has formally requested €8 billion ($9.3 billion) from the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defence funding instrument, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The request, submitted via a letter to the European Commission, marks the first step in accessing the facility, which has a total capacity of up to €150 billion. Rome is eligible for up to €14.9 billion under the joint borrowing scheme, designed to bolster EU-wide defence capabilities and support member states in meeting NATO spending commitments.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government faces internal divisions over the move, with Matteo Salvini’s League party repeatedly voicing reservations about increased defence expenditure. The decision to tap the SAFE instrument comes despite public opinion polls showing limited support for higher military spending in Italy.
The request also arrives amid broader fiscal pressures, including calls from opposition parties to prioritise measures that mitigate the economic impact of rising energy costs linked to geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The Italian government has limited fiscal space to address such concerns while pursuing strategic defence investments.
The SAFE instrument operates as an EU-backed joint borrowing mechanism, enabling member states to access pooled resources for defence-related expenditures. Its implementation follows the bloc’s push to enhance collective security amid evolving global threats and NATO’s renewed emphasis on defence spending targets.
