The European Union has not concluded any agreement with Turkey in the field of security and defence and therefore Turkish companies are not permitted to participate in SAFE joint procurement.
This position was expressed by EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, responding to a question from DISY and EPP MEPs Loucas Fourlas and Michalis Hadjipantela, effectively closing the door on Turkish aspirations.
“The clear position that Turkish companies are not permitted to participate in joint procurement of the SAFE financial instrument, as the European Union has not concluded any agreement with Turkey in the field of security and defence, was stated by EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, responding to a question from DISY and EPP MEPs Loucas Fourlas and Michalis Hadjipantela,” according to DISY’s press release on the response received by the two MEPs.
In their question, the MEPs raised before the European Commission the continuing 51-year occupation of European territory by Turkey, as well as the country’s uncompromising and provocative rhetoric towards Cyprus and Greece.
The Commissioner emphasised that the European Union seeks in all its actions to safeguard the security and defence interests of both itself and its member states, including the Republic of Cyprus.
He also pointed out that the SAFE financing instrument sets strict eligibility conditions to ensure that procurement and projects implemented under the instrument serve exclusively the EU’s security and defence objectives.
Particularly significant is that entities established or controlled by third countries – with the exception of Ukraine and European Free Trade Area countries that are members of the European Economic Area – are not permitted to participate in SAFE joint procurement, unless they meet very specific and strict conditions.
As the Commissioner stated: “The EU has not concluded any agreement with Turkey on these matters. Therefore, Turkish companies are not permitted to participate in SAFE joint procurement”.
