Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has expressed strong support for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's recent proposal to activate the escape clause that would exempt defense spending from the European Union's fiscal constraints. Mitsotakis emphasized that Greece has consistently backed this measure, recognizing it as crucial for strengthening the defense capabilities of EU member states and enhancing Europe’s collective security.
The announcement was made during von der Leyen's speech at the Munich Security Conference, where she stressed the importance of increased defense expenditures. She asserted that "Europe must do more for security," and to meet this imperative, defense spending—currently just below 2% of GDP across the EU—should be raised to over 3%. This proposed increase would translate to hundreds of billions more in investments annually.
To facilitate this goal, von der Leyen plans to propose the activation of the Stability Pact's escape clause, specifically for defense investments. "This will allow member states to significantly increase their defense expenditures," she stated, clarifying that this increase will be implemented "in a controlled manner and under conditions."
Additionally, von der Leyen mentioned that the European Commission would introduce a broader package of tailored tools designed to address the specific needs and circumstances of each member state. She highlighted the necessity of a European-wide approach to effectively define and meet collective investment requirements in defense.
The proposal signals a significant shift in EU fiscal policy, aligning defense investments with strategic security priorities in response to growing global challenges.
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