At the NATO summit in Ankara (Turkey) Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist N-VA) is set to sign an agreement today triggering the “largest defence procurement of this parliamentary term”. “It’s an agreement with the Netherlands worth 3.1 billion euros involving the Nasam air defence system, a Norwegian system,” he told reporters. This system is intended to strengthen Belgian air defence against, amongst other things, cruise missiles and drones.
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Belgium to keep defence spending at 2% of GDP till 2029, commitment to roadmap to 3.5%
Colin Clapson
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Francken’s defence procurements during this parliamentary term have ensured that Belgium is now spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence. NATO wants that percentage to reach 3.5 per cent by 2035. “That is particularly difficult in the current budgetary climate. If we can maintain that 2 per cent during this parliamentary term, we will have done a good job. But the Americans and others will continue to remind us of that 3.5 per cent” the defence minister warned.
To meet that NATO target, a roadmap must be drawn up. “We are committed to this, and it will have to be done. However, we have stated that we will maintain 2 per cent defence spending until 2029. We will see how much the pressure is ramped up – not only by the US, but also by other European countries that are indeed doing much more.”
Belgium meets 2 per cent GDP defence spending target for second year running, says NATO
Belgium is expected to spend 2 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence this year, thereby meeting the NATO target for the second year running. That’s according to the latest estimates from NATO in the run-up to the summit in Ankara.
For many years, Belgium’s defence budget remained below the 2 per cent of GDP threshold agreed in 2014. Last year, the country reached that threshold for the first time, at 2 per cent, and according to NATO’s estimate, the figure will remain at the same level this year.
In 2014, Belgium spent just 0.97 per cent of its GDP on defence. In absolute terms, core defence spending rose from $5.3 billion in 2014 to an estimated $13 billion in 2026 (at 2021 prices and exchange rates).
Last year, at the summit in The Hague, NATO member states agreed to spend as much as 3.5 per cent of their GDP on defence by 2035.