Italy’s Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said he hopes the European Commission will consider defence spending uniquely when evaluating compliance with EU budget regulations.

Addressing the Chamber of Deputies, Giorgetti also mentioned that his cabinet colleague Raffaele Fitto, responsible for European Union affairs, is the country's nominee for a position in the upcoming EU Commission, anticipated to be led by Ursula von der Leyen.

“We hope the European Commission will recognise defence spending as a relevant factor” in allowing flexibility within the EU's revamped budget rules, Giorgetti stated.

“It is a necessary condition for the Italian government to meet its political commitment to adjust military spending,” he went on to add.

In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, NATO's European members are facing increasing pressure from the United States to increase their defence expenditures to at least 2% of each country's GDP, Reuters reports.

Defence spending has declined in Italy from 1.59% of GDP in 2020 to 1.46% in 2023. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced at a NATO summit earlier this month her intention to reverse this trend by increasing it to 1.6% next year.

Last month, Rome was subjected to an Excessive Deficit Procedure by the EU, and it is currently in negotiations with Brussels to devise a strategy to reduce its fiscal gap while adhering to the latest reform of the bloc's two-decade-old fiscal regulations.

These rules establish a gradual and consistent path for reducing deficits and debts starting from 2025, spanning four to seven years, with the longer duration feasible if a country implements reforms and investments in areas prioritised by the EU.

Giorgetti's comments coincide with von der Leyen's efforts to garner support from EU lawmakers for her re-election as president of the European Commission.

Furthermore, the minister announced Fitto's candidacy before Meloni's Brothers of Italy party had indicated whether its 24 lawmakers would support von der Leyen in a European Parliament vote on Thursday.

Fitto “is our candidate, he's the horse that's running, we're cheering,” Giorgetti said.

Fitto, a key ally of Meloni, is currently tasked with overseeing Italy's implementation of the post-Covid Recovery Plan, which involves receiving around €194 billion euros in grants and low-interest loans from the EU until 2026.