Written question asked by Mike Wood (Conservative) on Friday, 12 December 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 16 December 2025. It was answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour) on Monday, 22 December 2025 on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

Payment Systems: European Union

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has held discussions with his NATO counterparts on the EU's position on requiring SAFE payments.

Answer: The UK has and will continue to hold a ‘NATO First’ approach. While it is disappointing that we were not able to positively conclude discussions on UK participation in the first round of SAFE, the UK continues to step up on European security in the face of rising threats, including through Foreign and Defence Secretary engagements at NATO ministerial meetings in October and December. Our Security and Defence Partnership with the EU will complement and reinforce NATO’s role as the cornerstone of Euro Atlantic Security and our defence firms will continue to be a vital part of defence supply chains across the continent; in the last year alone, we have struck significant deals with Norway, Türkiye, and Germany.

Secondary information