Italy has formally requested €8 billion ($9.3 billion) from the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defence funding programme, a source close to the matter said on Wednesday, as Rome seeks to strengthen its military capabilities while limiting pressure on its public finances.
Italy was eligible to receive up to €14.9 billion under the SAFE programme, which provides up to €150 billion in EU-backed financing for defence investment across member states.
The source said Rome had sent a formal letter to the European Commission requesting access to the funds. The programme uses joint EU borrowing backed by the bloc’s budget to provide member states with financing for defence projects and help them meet more ambitious NATO spending targets.
Italy’s decision follows months of disagreement within Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s governing coalition over whether to use the facility. Matteo Salvini’s League has repeatedly expressed reservations about borrowing through the scheme.
Defence spending remains politically sensitive in Italy, with opinion polls showing limited public support for higher military expenditure. The government is also facing pressure from opposition parties to use its limited fiscal room to help households and businesses cope with higher energy costs linked to the U.S.-Iran conflict.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, a senior member of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, has strongly supported using SAFE. The scheme would allow Rome to finance planned defence spending at borrowing costs lower than those it would likely face on financial markets.
The request comes as European governments accelerate efforts to expand defence capabilities amid heightened security concerns and pressure within NATO for members to increase military spending.
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