Brussels/EU-wide – According to information from the Council, the EU economy and finance ministers will activate the “national escape clause” for defense spending for Austria at their meeting on Tuesday in Brussels. Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ) requested this in December “to maintain budget flexibility”. The clause allows more debt to be incurred for rearmament without being sanctioned by the EU. Marterbauer emphasized that the measure was purely precautionary.
