I don't know the details but I would be very surprised if this is how it works.
That is precisely how it works. The SAFE fund loans are reserved for EU member states. However, the countries have a degree of choice as to where to spend the money. If they want to use international suppliers, they can, but the default situation is that manufacture in non-EU members is limited to 35% of the "weapon" cost (enter confusion as to whether that's just a missile or also a delivery system).
Canada is paying so that the limit can be raised for Canadian products. It doesn't guarantee Canada contracts, although, as I said, if it's only paying 10 million euros it's worthwhile taking part.
Norwegian companies and research institutions were quite successful and the grants paid to Norwegian companies was roughly equal to the amount paid into the program by the Norwegian government
That would have been a coincidence.
As I've said, SAFE isn't handing out grants, it's a loan-scheme for EU member states.
A pity the UK decided they could not join.
No offence, mate, but it wasn't an issue of the UK deciding we "couldn't" join and more that we objected to the EU trying to use us as a giant ATM. We're not paying £billions of taxpayers' money just to make it easier for UK companies to bid for contracts - not least because we could easily spend the money on our own armed forces and get something out of it.
The fact Canada allegedly only has to pay 10 million euros indicates the EU was taking the piss with its demands of us.
