Defence: Francken aims for 10-year plan to reach 5 per cent spending standard
While NATO member states have not yet agreed on a 5 per cent defence spending standard, Defence minister Theo Francken expects Belgium to have 10 years to reach the target. For now, an annual budget increase seems unlikely, Francken said in the House on Thursday night during a debate on his budget for this year.
NATO member states will meet at a summit in The Hague next week, when they are expected to agree that the norm for defence spending should rise to 5 per cent of GDP.
Belgium will try to stretch the deadline for meeting this target as long as possible, and to obtain as much flexibility as possible in how defence spending is defined.
“I personally think it will be 10 years,” he said. That would be “very good news” and give Belgium "more breathing space” to increase spending.
There is also still debate about the distribution of the money that would be allocated to defence.
The plan on the table is for it to break down into 3.5 per cent for purely military spending and 1.5 per cent for related investments. Belgium advocates a ratio of 3 per cent and 2 per cent. An annual budget increase is off the table for now, but that is not yet certain.
"Countries like Belgium are outnumbered. The vast majority wants more or faster"
The left-wing opposition has called on the government to follow Spain’s example and refuse to comply with the 5 per cent standard. Francken refuted the claim that this would be a “Trump norm” and said it was not an exclusive demand of the US but that the Baltic States, Finland and Sweden also want to see the standard implemented.
“Some countries also just want to go to pure 5 per cent, no division between 3.5 and 1.5 per cent,” Francken said. “Countries like Belgium are outnumbered. The vast majority wants more or faster.”
Air defence investment
The debate on Belgium’s path to the new standard will be decided after the NATO summit, being held on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
From this year, the government will increase its military spending to 2 per cent of GDP, complying with the current NATO standard. The new funds mobilised will be allocated to aid for Ukraine and the purchase of ammunition. As soon as the budget comes into force, an order will be placed in early July.
Meanwhile, Belgium and Luxembourg will buy NASAMS-type anti-aircraft systems from Norwegian manufacturer Kongsberg through the Netherlands. The contract is worth around 2.5 billion euros, L’Echo reports on Friday. Nine systems are planned for Belgium and one for Luxembourg. Air defence is a priority in Belgium’s rearmament agenda.
A NASAMS missile launcher during a NATO exercise at Vredepeel military airbase in the Netherlands, March 2025 © PHOTO ANP / HOLLANDSE HOOGTE / ROB ENGELAAR
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