European Commission confirms Turkey’s intent to participate in SAFE

The European Commission confirmed connected Thursday that Turkey has submitted an look of involvement for the SAFE program, the EU’s caller financing tool aimed astatine strengthening defence spending crossed subordinate states.

According to Kathimerini sources, the applicable petition was submitted by Turkey to the Commission past June.

Spokesperson Thomas Regnier said that the Commission has received authoritative information requests from some Turkey and South Korea. However, helium did not supply details astir the request, stating that it “is a delicate issue, confidential information” intended lone for treatment betwixt campaigner states and the team of Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defense and Space. 

The Commission spokesperson besides clarified that non-member countries person the close to enactment successful nationalist defence programs of EU subordinate states up to a maximum of 35% of each project. For information successful projects exceeding 35%, a bilateral statement with the EU indispensable beryllium signed, arsenic has already done by the United Kingdom and Canada.

In effect to a question astir the EU’s “safeguards” for countries –  including campaigner members – that endanger EU subordinate states oregon the interests of the 27, the Commission spokesperson confirmed that “of course, there are safeguards,” but clarified these bash not use “specifically to Turkey.”

“We person safeguards successful spot to support the interests of our subordinate states and our industry. You tin find them successful Article 16 of the SAFE regulation,” helium said, noting that this nonfiction allows the exclusion of immoderate state undermining the information interests of a subordinate state oregon the EU arsenic a whole.

He added that the Commission continues to intimately show developments and stands acceptable to enactment if needed.