More money for defence: Brussels backs Italy's exemption from EU fiscal rules
The European Commission has endorsed Rome's request to trigger the national escape clause for higher defence and energy spending. The Council is due to decide by 8 November.
Archive image · Photo: Governo italiano / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 it (cropped and resized)
The European Commission has approved Italy's request to activate the national escape clause of the EU's fiscal rules for higher spending on defence and energy. This was reported by the news portal Eunews. Commission spokesperson Balázs Ujvári said the assessment had found that the sustainability of Italy's public finances was not threatened, according to the report. Rome submitted its request on 10 September.
The member states now have the final say. The Council has one month to decide, with a decision expected by 8 November. Eunews reported the Commission's approval on 8 October.