Twelve EU Member States, including Belgium, already required extra room for defense spending

The national escape clause, a mechanism that is part of the ‘Rearm Europe’ plan to strengthen the EU defense capacities, gives Member States the possibility of not counting defense expenses in the calculation of the budget deficit. The intention is to activate it for a period of four years for a maximum of 1.5 percent of gross domestic product per year. The committee hopes to loosen up to 650 billion euros in extra defense investments at national level.

The committee had put forward as a deadline on 30 April, hoping to activate the mechanism for as many Member States as possible together and to give the strongest possible signal. Applications that will follow in the coming days will also be viewed, the committee said earlier this week. She expects requests to follow, she says in the press release on Wednesday evening.

Read too. Germany is the first EU member state to ask for extra room for defense efforts

In addition to Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia have submitted an application. « Today, the EU is taking a decisive step forward in strengthening its defense expenditure and preparedness, » responds European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis. « The committee will ensure that the (budgetary) flexibility helps EU countries to increase their defense spending while their budget policy remains healthy. »

The committee will evaluate the applications in the coming month and at the beginning of June, in the annual assessment of the national budgets, it wants to present its conclusions. Afterwards, the Member States have a month to speak out about it.