Belgium today spends 3.44 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. This is learned from new calculations that include expenditure on ‘resilience’ for the first time, De Morgen writes today.
Source: Belga
In the run-up to the NATO summit in Ankara this summer, the top government is today examining its military accounting. Under pressure from US President Donald Trump, the alliance increased its spending standard last year. By 2035 at the latest, member states must spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense. Although 1.5 percent of this may be spent on broader ‘resilience’.
According to new calculations, our country today spends 3.44 percent of its GDP on defense. The traditional expenditure for the Belgian army is 2.01 percent. Expenditure on resilience is set at 1.43 percent. Costs for cyber security, counter-terrorism and infrastructure such as railways have been charged, among other things.
Rearmament
The government spends 4 billion euros more annually on the Belgian army itself. In the coalition, Vooruit, CD&V and Les Engagés are the coldest lovers of this rearmament, but the parties realize that Belgium, as the home country of NATO and the SHAPE command center, cannot lag behind within the alliance.
According to sources, the government has opted for a cautious calculation method for expenditure on resilience. The chance that NATO will soon reject part of the Belgian military accounting is considered small. “As expected, we do not have to make any extra effort for this new category. We are already doing enough to immediately reach 1.5 percent,” it said.
