How will SAFE shape naval procurement for Canada and its highest-receiving members?
The Royal Canadian Navy currently operates four second-hand Victoria-class SSKs, which will be replaced under the CPSP. (Photo: John Narewski/US Navy)
Canada’s inclusion on the EU’s Security Action for Europe initiative is set to enhance the country’s defence procurement strategy with important implications for some of its naval programmes, while Poland and Romania have also secured significant SAFE funding.
On 1 December, Canada announced it had officially been accepted into the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, which seeks to provide financial support for European member states to increase the pace of defence readiness and support the European defence industry.
While Canada cannot be a member state of the programme due to not being in the EU, it is now able to participate in the common procurement with other member states from SAFE loans. Both Canada and the UK were negotiating to join the initiative, but talks with the UK have stalled over the cost of buying into SAFE.
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