The plan to use the EU's extra budget flexibility could make around €36 billion available
Rome intends to use the extra budget flexibility allowed by Brussels to spend much more on energy security and defence over the next three years, the Italian Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti told the national parliament on Wednesday.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government plans to increase spending for energy security by 0.6% of the cumulative national gross domestic product of 2026, 2027, and 2028, and spend an extra 0.9% of GDP on security and defence.
According to the national news agency ANSA, these figures amount to about €14 billion for energy and €21-22 billion for defence.
The Commission will assess national plans to use the EU’s extra budget flexibility, known as National Escape Clause, in September to eventually recommend their adoption at a finance ministers meeting in October, Giorgetti said.
