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Britain faces having to pay billions to EU in order for UK firms to access bloc's new €150bn defence fund

Britain faces having to pay billions to EU in order for UK firms to access bloc's new €150bn defence fund

Daily Mail​3 days ago
Britain will have to pay the EU a fee for any weapons bought from UK firms via the bloc's new €150 billion defence fund, it is reported.
Sir Keir Starmer boasted in May how his Brexit 'reset' deal with the EU would pave the way for UK defence firms to access the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) fund.
The Prime Minister said British participation in the fund would support thousands of jobs and boost economic growth.
But Sir Keir was also warned there would be a 'pay to play' element for British access to SAFE, following French demands for a UK financial contribution.
According to the Financial Times, this will see Britain having to pay the EU a percentage of the value of any weapons bought from UK companies via SAFE.
The newspaper reported the exact figure Britain will have to pay to access the fund is still under discussion by EU member states.
They are finalising their position on the deal with the UK, which is expected to be published later this week.
Brussels is set to argue that because UK firms would receive EU money to create jobs and expand capacity under the scheme, London should recompense the bloc.
An EU diplomat said: 'What was written in the SAFE regulation is that there shall be a fair balance as regards the contributions and the benefits.'
Another diplomat revealed how France is pushing for a high UK contribution but other countries, led by Germany, want to ensure the UK is not dissuaded from joining.
SAFE was set up by Brussels amid the threat posed by Russia and following threats by US President Donald Trump to scrap American security guarantees for Europe.
The multi-billion fund will allow EU member states to take out loans for weapons from funds raised against the EU budget.
There are strict rules on where arms can be purchased from, with initial fears that British defence firms would be excluded from the fund.
These include a 'buy European' clause that means the fund can only be used to purchase arms from EU-linked countries or Ukraine.
Brussels officials previously outlined how the fund would only consider buying British arms if the UK struck a new security and defence partnership with the EU.
Sir Keir agreed such a partnership with the EU as part of his Brexit 'reset' in May.
In order for UK defence products to qualify, the value of their components from members of SAFE must be at least 65 per cent.
Other restrictions relate to the purchase of complex weapons systems where non-EU countries hold 'design authority'.
Concerns were recently expressed in Germany that the US has the power to shut off F-35 fighter jets, which are widely used across Europe.
But the US denied the existence of a 'kill switch'.
A Government spokesperson said: 'We won't preempt our discussions with the EU.
'It is in all our interests for the UK and EU to bring together our unique capabilities and expertise to make Europe a safer, more secure, and more prosperous place.
'That is why we agreed a landmark Security and Defence Partnership, enhancing our security and defence cooperation and delivering for citizens across the continent.'
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Massive security operation kicks in as the US President touches down in Scotland to huge cheering crowds... with only a limp handful protesters
Massive security operation kicks in as the US President touches down in Scotland to huge cheering crowds... with only a limp handful protesters

Daily Mail​

time8 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Massive security operation kicks in as the US President touches down in Scotland to huge cheering crowds... with only a limp handful protesters

Donald Trump touched down in Scotland to cheering crowds amid a massive security operation that spans the country. Air Force One landed at the nationalised Prestwick Airport shortly before 8.30pm ahead of the President's four full days of talks and leisure time at his golf courses on the Ayrshire coast and in Aberdeenshire. Huge crowds of onlookers applauded his arrival while only a handful of protesters held up crude placards outside Turnberry. The visit is expected to require a security operation as big as the arrangements for the late Queen Elizabeth II 's funeral in September 2022 - involving up to 6,000 officers - with taxpayers again facing a bill of more than £3million for policing his stay. This trip has now commandeered almost a third of Police Scotland's manpower to make sure things go smoothly and saw officers in high viz vests swarming over greens, tees, fairways and DC while snipers overlooked it from watchtowers. 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Alexander Isak offered whopping £32M-A-YEAR deal from Saudi but star has heart set on record-breaking Liverpool transfer
Alexander Isak offered whopping £32M-A-YEAR deal from Saudi but star has heart set on record-breaking Liverpool transfer

The Sun

time8 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Alexander Isak offered whopping £32M-A-YEAR deal from Saudi but star has heart set on record-breaking Liverpool transfer

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US president Donald Trump arrives in Scotland for four-day visit
US president Donald Trump arrives in Scotland for four-day visit

BBC News

time8 minutes ago

  • BBC News

US president Donald Trump arrives in Scotland for four-day visit

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Visits to Scotland by sitting US presidents are Elizabeth hosted Dwight D Eisenhower at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire in 1957. George W Bush travelled to Gleneagles in Perthshire for a G8 summit in 2005 and Joe Biden attended a climate conference in Glasgow in only other serving president to visit this century is Trump himself in 2018 when he was met by protesters including one flying a paraglider low over Turnberry, breaching the air exclusion zone around the returned in 2023, two-and-a-half years after he was defeated by Biden. Trump does have a genuine link to Gaelic-speaking mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born in 1912 on the island of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides and left during the Great Depression for New York where she married property developer Fred son's return to Scotland for four days this summer comes ahead of an official state visit from 17-19 September when the president and First Lady Melania Trump will be hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle in Berkshire.

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