Twelve European Union member states have asked Brussels to trigger the “national escape clause” in EU fiscal rules, aiming to raise defence spending without facing budget penalties, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
The clause would allow countries to exceed the usual 3% deficit threshold, granting them room to increase defence budgets by up to 1.5% of GDP annually over four years. The proposal comes amid growing pressure to strengthen Europe's military capabilities.
Countries making the request include Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia. A spokesperson for the Polish EU Council presidency said four more nations plan to apply soon.
The Commission will now review each submission. Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the goal is to support higher defence investment while ensuring fiscal responsibility.
The move reflects a shift in EU priorities as geopolitical risks mount and defence becomes a growing part of national budgets.
Russian drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa early Thursday, damaging homes and civilian infrastructure and igniting multiple fires, regional officials said.
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $425 million sale of Patriot missile systems equipment and support services to Kuwait, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Ukraine and the United States have agreed to create a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund aimed at attracting global capital and boosting both economic and security cooperation, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday.
Ukraine and the United States signed a long-anticipated agreement in Washington on Wednesday that grants the U.S. preferential access to Ukrainian mineral deals and launches a joint fund for post-war reconstruction—both key goals for the Trump administration.
North Korea hailed the construction of a new bridge to Russia as a "significant" advancement in bilateral ties, state media reported on Thursday.
Russian drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa early Thursday, damaging homes and civilian infrastructure and igniting multiple fires, regional officials said.
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $425 million sale of Patriot missile systems equipment and support services to Kuwait, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Ukraine and the United States have agreed to create a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund aimed at attracting global capital and boosting both economic and security cooperation, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday.
Ukraine and the United States signed a long-anticipated agreement in Washington on Wednesday that grants the U.S. preferential access to Ukrainian mineral deals and launches a joint fund for post-war reconstruction—both key goals for the Trump administration.
North Korea hailed the construction of a new bridge to Russia as a "significant" advancement in bilateral ties, state media reported on Thursday.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 40 dead, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.
North Korea has launched a new 5,000-tonne destroyer as part of Kim Jong Un’s plans to expand the country’s naval power far beyond its coastal waters.
A massive explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran on Saturday killed at least four people and injured nearly 600 others, officials said, prompting an urgent government investigation.
A vehicle crashed into a crowd at a Filipino festival in Vancouver, killing 11 and injuring dozens.
Russian drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa early Thursday, damaging homes and civilian infrastructure and igniting multiple fires, regional officials said.
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $425 million sale of Patriot missile systems equipment and support services to Kuwait, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Ukraine and the United States have agreed to create a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund aimed at attracting global capital and boosting both economic and security cooperation, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday.
Ukraine and the United States signed a long-anticipated agreement in Washington on Wednesday that grants the U.S. preferential access to Ukrainian mineral deals and launches a joint fund for post-war reconstruction—both key goals for the Trump administration.
North Korea hailed the construction of a new bridge to Russia as a "significant" advancement in bilateral ties, state media reported on Thursday.
Russian drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa early Thursday, damaging homes and civilian infrastructure and igniting multiple fires, regional officials said.
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $425 million sale of Patriot missile systems equipment and support services to Kuwait, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Ukraine and the United States have agreed to create a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund aimed at attracting global capital and boosting both economic and security cooperation, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday.
Ukraine and the United States signed a long-anticipated agreement in Washington on Wednesday that grants the U.S. preferential access to Ukrainian mineral deals and launches a joint fund for post-war reconstruction—both key goals for the Trump administration.
North Korea hailed the construction of a new bridge to Russia as a "significant" advancement in bilateral ties, state media reported on Thursday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment