Only 14 EU countries request increase in defense spending

Brussels, May 6 (Prensa Latina) Only 14 of the 27 European Union (EU) states have asked the European Commission (EC) for permission to increase defense spending under the new ReArm Europe strategy, which worries Brussels that the plan could fail, the Euractiv portal reported.

May 6, 2025
09:15

Just over half of EU member states have formally asked the EC for more leeway to increase defense spending, raising concerns that Brussels’ ambitious rearmament plan could fall short of its 800 billion euro target, the media outlet said.

Only 14 countries have formally complied with Brussels’ request to activate a national escape clause that would allow EU capitals to increase military spending by an additional 1,5% of GDP annually for four years without breaching the bloc’s strict budget rules, according to Euractiv.

On March 4, EC President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the Rearm Europe Plan.

We are in an era of rearmament. And Europe is prepared to massively increase its defense spending, she said.

However, many politicians in the region considered the European rearmament plan as a crazy idea and expressed their opposition to the project, considering that the region needs more investments in health, education and industry.

jrr/arm/mem/am