11/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 11 February, the Council of the European Union authorised the European Union to sign the agreement with Canada authorising, in return for a Canadian financial contribution of €10 million (see EUROPE 13777/20), Ottawa’s participation in the European ‘SAFE’ loan instrument, which will help 19 Member States to increase military spending by up to €150 billion. On the same day, it adopted the national investment plans submitted by eight countries (see EUROPE 13805/36). On Tuesday 17 February, it will do the same for the plans of the eight other Member States concerned: Poland (pre-financing of €6.5 billion), Lithuania (€956 million), Latvia (€525 million), Estonia (€352 million), Slovakia (€348 million), Greece (€118 million) as well as Italy and Finland (no pre-financing required). Of the nineteen Member States participating in the ‘SAFE’ instrument, the French, Hungarian and Czech plans have yet to be validated by the European Commission. (MB)