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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13808
Contents Publication in full By article 28 / 32
NEWS BRIEFS / Economy

Austria soon to be authorised to activate Stability Pact opt-out clause to increase military spending

13/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 17 February, the European finance ministers will be asked to authorise Austria to activate the national derogation clause in the Stability and Growth Pact to allow it to increase its annual military spending by up to 1.5% of national GDP. In July 2025, the Ecofin Council opened an excessive deficit procedure (EDP) against Vienna, asking it to reduce its deficit from 4.7% of GDP in 2024 to 3% in 2028 (see EUROPE B13676A23). Sixteen Member States...

Contents

BEACONS
Beacons: Europe seeks unity, without ruling out enhanced cooperation
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL/EMPLOYMENT: social security systems - Cyprus Presidency of EU Council planning new round of negotiations in April to secure agreement
EMPLOYMENT: European Parliament calls for EU action against subcontracting abuses, but refrains from demanding limits on subcontracting chains
SECTORAL POLICIES
DIGITAL: debate intensifying in Europe about banning under-16s from social networks
DIGITAL: second compromise on revision of AI Act frames and limits powers of Artificial Intelligence Office
DIGITAL: EU puts in place a ‘toolbox’ to strengthen ICT supply chain security
Interview COMPETITIVENESS: EU mining industry calls for faster permitting procedures and fairer pricing of critical raw materials
AGRICULTURE: European ministers to assess scope of ‘national recommendations’ for post-2027 CAP on 23 February
AGRICULTURE: Copa-Cogeca concerned about unprecedented collapse of EU nitrogen fertiliser imports
ANIMAL HEALTH: European Commission delivers 500,000 doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine to Cyprus
COHESION: European ministers to discuss lessons for future following 2021-2027 mid-term review
COHESION: European Commission says administrative capacity building should be maintained and developed
ENERGY: Eurelectric supports applying “secure-by-design” criteria to contend with attacks on Europe’s energy system
EXTERNAL ACTION
ENLARGEMENT: Marta Kos warns of no shortcuts for candidate countries in terms of reforms, despite external pressure
AUSTRALIA: progress in Brussels, but no conclusion in sight on free trade agreement with Canberra
CHINA: European Commission criticises application of definitive Chinese countervailing duties on certain European dairy products
CHINA: EU refers China to WTO panel in response to Chinese trade practices on royalties for European high-tech sector
TRADE: Geostrategic Europe Taskforce says Europe has capacity to hold its own against Chinese and American giants
GUINEA-BISSAU: government has apologised to EU ambassador, says EEAS spokesperson after incident at League for Human Rights
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
TAXATION: EU Council expected to add Vietnam and Turks and Caicos Islands to ‘black list’ of uncooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes
EUROGROUP: international role of euro, fiscal stance and macroeconomic imbalances on ministerial agenda
COMPETITION: European Commission authorises Universal Music’s acquisition of Downtown subject to conditions
STATE AID: European Commission authorises €1 billion in Danish support for land set-aside
STATE AID: in-depth investigation into Danish and Swedish financial support for postal company PostNord Logistics launched
SECURITY - DEFENCE
DEFENCE: Europeans have confidence in EU to strengthen their security faced with growing threat, according to latest Eurobarometer
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
RULE OF LAW/INTERNAL MARKET: Hungarian legislation on protection of national sovereignty infringes EU law, says Advocate General at Court of Justice
NEWS BRIEFS
BANKS: EU banking sector will not be asked to contribute to Single Resolution Fund in 2026
ECONOMY: Austria soon to be authorised to activate Stability Pact opt-out clause to increase military spending
MIGRATION: irregular entries into EU down 60% compared with January 2025, against backdrop of hazardous weather conditions
FISHERIES: MEPs on mission to Seychelles to evaluate fisheries agreement
SAHEL: João Cravinho promotes greater EU cooperation with countries of Alliance of Sahel States at meeting in Burkina Faso
TRANSPORT: European Commission announces finalists for European urban mobility awards