Bulgaria among 15 EU countries requesting activation of ‘escape clause’ in coordinated move to boost defence spending
To date, 15 EU member states have submitted a request in writing to the European Commission (EC) to activate the national escape clause under the Stability and Growth Pact, as part of the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 package presented in March 2025, according to statements by the EC and the Council of the EU on April 30.
The Council of the EU statement listed the countries as Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Slovakia.
The activation of the national escape clause provides member states with additional budgetary space to increase defence spending, while remaining within the EU fiscal rules, in line with the paper published by the Commission as part of the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 package.
The clause covers a period of four years and a maximum of 1.5 per cent of GDP in flexibility.
The EU member states remain committed to the implementation of the revised economic governance framework also throughout the duration of the activation of the clause.
“Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its threat to European security constitute exceptional circumstances, placing significant pressure on Member States’ public finances due to the urgent need to build up their defence capabilities,” the EC said.
The EC said that in response, the EU has put forward an ambitious defence package, offering financial levers to boost investment in the Union’s defence sector, including via the national escape clause.
“The activation of the clause will give these Member States the possibility to deviate from their endorsed net expenditure paths or their corrective path under the Excessive Deficit Procedure,” the EC said.
“Such flexibility is foreseen in the event of exceptional circumstances beyond the Member State’s control, where these have a significant impact on its public finances, as is currently the case.”
The EC said that it would now assess the requests submitted by the EU countries with a view to putting forward recommendations to the Council to activate the national escape clause as part of the upcoming Spring 2025 European Semester Package. The Council will then have one month to decide on the matter.
(Photo: European Parliament)
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