Belgian Minister Calls for Regional Contributions to Defence Spending
Belgian Budget Minister Vincent Van Peteghem highlighted the need for regional governments to support the increased defence expenditures mandated by NATO’s new targets. He expressed concerns that current regulations might cap their contributions at an additional 1.5%, which would mainly focus on areas like infrastructure and cybersecurity, excluding core defence spending. This spending is projected to escalate from 2% to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. , reports 24brussels.
During a presentation of a study commemorating ten years of public finance analysis conducted by the Belgian Institute for Public Finance (BIOF), Van Peteghem, a member of the CD&V party, acknowledged the challenging fiscal outlook for Belgium. Nevertheless, he underscored the importance of maintaining high ambitions.
We’ll have to be self-critical every year
“We must adhere to the multi-annual trajectory we presented to the European Commission,” he stated. He further noted that if anticipated returns from certain policy measures fall short, adjustments would be necessary. “We’ll have to be self-critical every year.”
Focus on Fiscal Scrutiny and New Agreements
Van Peteghem stressed that regional governments should match the same level of fiscal scrutiny, as Belgium has submitted its plans to the EU as a federal entity. He mentioned ongoing discussions regarding a new cooperation agreement between the federal government and regional authorities.
At this week’s NATO summit in The Hague, member states concluded that total defence-related spending should rise to 5% of GDP by 2035. Van Peteghem reiterated his call for “realism” in approaching these targets, asserting that Belgium should maintain its 2% commitment during this legislative term. “I remain critical of such a sharp increase,” he commented.
