Europäische Union: Kommission legt neue Schuldenregeln für Energiesicherheit vor
Die EU-Kommission öffnet die nationale Ausnahmeklausel im Stabilitätspakt für Energieinvestitionen. Während einige Länder den Spielraum voll ausschöpfen wollen, wird Deutschland begrenzt.
The European Commission has presented details on Tuesday about how member states can finance additional energy expenses within the EU debt rules. To achieve this, the 2024 introduced national exemption clause (National Escape Clause, NEC) is being expanded. This clause allows countries in particular crisis situations to temporarily increase their debt levels.
Initially intended for defense spending, the NEC will now also be applicable to energy security measures. The Commission announced this option back in early June when it released the Spring Package. The move is a response to the ongoing difficult situation in energy markets due to the Iran war and was particularly requested by Italy and several other Southern European member states heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
The new flexibility option is not about additional debts. The ceiling remains at 1.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, the decision expands the debt space from defense spending to energy security measures. Member states can use up to 0.3 percent of their GDP per year from 2026 to 2028, with a total maximum of 0.6 percent over the period.
For Germany, this would theoretically provide an additional debt flexibility space of around 27 billion euros. Germany had also requested the NEC in October of the previous year.
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