National defence investment plan given green light by Europe

Portugal is among the initial eight Member States whose national defence plans were approved by the European Commission this week under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative.

"Portugal was one of the first and most competent countries in setting up projects and applying. The application was validated in an initial stage, and we are now in the batch of first countries whose projects the European Commission approved" stated the Minister of National Defence Nuno Melo on Friday during pledge of allegiance for military officers, sergeants and petty officers in Évora.

Nuno Melo noted that all the equipment put forward by Portugal fort the application to this fund were the outcome of "choices from the intended recipients so the Armed Forces are better equipped to meet in the future all the military missions and support to civilians".

The Portuguese plan presented to SAFE was drafted by a working group involving the three branches of the Armed Forces, the General Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces, the Secretariat-General, the National Policy Directorate-Gene4ral, and industry through the National Defence’s Armaments and Assets Directorate-General. 

"This was about deciding whether Portugal should use this instrument from Brussels and there was fierce competition," praised the Minister, who stressed that this initial green light places Portugal on the "front line for approval". All that is missing now is the definitive approval by the EU Council of Ministers, which will pave the way to the contracts that set investments in the land, sea, air, and space fields.

SAFE is a European facility based on credit lines with 10-year grace periods, at low interests and VAT free, which falls under the European strategy to boost security and defence.