È finita, il Regno Unito non parteciperà al programma di difesa europeo: lo ha appena annunciato Londra (il Paese si rifiuta di pagare la cifra richiesta dall’Ue).
https://www.bfmtv.com/economie/entreprises/defense/c-est-termine-le-royaume-uni-ne-participera-pas-au-programme-de-defense-europeen-londres-vient-de-l-annoncer-le-pays-refuse-de-payer-la-somme-demandee-par-l-ue_AD-202511280642.html
di UpgradedSiera6666
14 commenti
United kingdom left because they thought they were big boss but being alone isn’t that easy and good for business
Guess shorting BAE is in order
Paul Louis for AFP & BFMTV.
On Friday, the United Kingdom announced the failure of negotiations with the European Union on its participation in a €150 billion loan program to support the defense industry in Europe, known as Safe.
The British Minister for Relations with the European Union, Nick Thomas-Symonds, described the outcome as “disappointing,” while pointing out that British defense manufacturers could still “participate in Safe projects under the conditions applicable to third countries.” The Europeans are seeking to develop their defense industry to counter the Russian threat and the risk of American disengagement in Europe.
The United Kingdom will only be able to participate in up to 35% of projects.
The European Union was demanding an entry fee of between €4 billion and €6.5 billion for London to benefit from this aid program recently launched by the EU. “The negotiations were conducted in good faith, but our position has always been clear: we will only sign agreements that serve the national interest and offer good value for money,” said Nick Thomas-Symonds.
The European Commission has also emphasized that “without an agreement, the United Kingdom can still only participate in up to 35% of projects,” since non-EU countries can participate but without benefiting from “Safe” budget. As for the countries that benefit from the program, they must produce weapons that contain at least 65% of components produced in the EU.
Safe is expected to provide loans on very favorable financial terms to EU member states and a few other countries, including Ukraine, by next year. Other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom, were to negotiate their participation with Brussels. Negotiations with Ottawa are still ongoing, according to the Commission, which hopes to “reach an agreement before Sunday.”
They didn’t even ask that much compared to the overall bill of the project. If they were further East that response would have been different.
The title is misleading we are still participating but only 35% of the fund can be spent with UK companies. Thats a serious chunk of change and using tax payers money to secure the better access with no guarantee of extra orders for private companies would go down badly at the moment.
Not a good time currently, Labour is on thin ice as the PM’s support is record low, polling as 65% disapproving. They don’t want to do anything right now that can even be interpreted as slightly unpopular, even if it would make sense.
I think this would have been benefitial for the UK defense sector as well.
Good that they are learning from past mistakes
Unsurprisingly, sadly “…that serve the national interest and offer good value for money”
Yeah. Safe is only about preventing a ww3, in the end. Chamberlain heritage remain strong.
Pussies
Coalition of the Willing my ass.
Good, the European union taking the Mick and not interested in defence corporation
UK are the rednecks of Europe. They cant do anything right and still think they are an empire.
Here’s a better source and in English
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/28/talks-for-uk-to-join-eu-defence-fund-collapse-in-blow-to-starmers-bid-to-reset-relations
It was the pragmatic decision and not the idealogical one. The requested contribution was extremely unlikely to see a return in tax receipts. It’s the unfortunate but right outcome given what the EU was asking. It’s one thing to ask for a contribution, and another to ask for the UK taxpayer to take what is most likely a loss on it.