EuroWire, BRUSSELS: Belgium said its spending on defence, security and resilience now equals 3.44% of gross domestic product under updated government calculations that fold broader national security costs into the total. The new measure includes direct military outlays as well as spending on cybersecurity, counter-terrorism and strategic infrastructure. Based on the same calculations, Belgium’s direct military spending stands at 2.01% of GDP, putting the country above NATO’s longstanding 2% defence benchmark after years of trailing the alliance target.
The revised tally comes as Belgium prepares for a new phase in NATO spending scrutiny ahead of the alliance summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8. Government calculations assign another 1.43% of GDP to resilience-related spending, lifting the combined total to 3.44%. The Belgian government is also counting an additional 4 billion euros a year for the armed forces, reflecting the faster pace of military funding increases adopted since the country moved to accelerate defence spending.
NATO’s framework has changed since the alliance’s earlier 2% goal. Under commitments adopted at the 2025 summit in The Hague, allies are to invest 5% of GDP on defence and security by 2035, with at least 3.5% devoted to core defence spending and up to 1.5% allowed for areas such as infrastructure protection, civil preparedness, network defence, innovation and industrial capacity. NATO has also said all allies met or exceeded the older 2% threshold in 2025.
Belgium broadens security spending count to clear NATO benchmark
Belgium’s latest figure is notable because it uses that broader accounting approach rather than a military-only measure. In practice, the calculation treats cybersecurity, counter-terrorism and parts of strategic infrastructure as security spending alongside conventional defence items. That distinction matters because the 3.44% figure does not reflect core military expenditure alone, even as it shows Belgium has moved past the alliance’s previous baseline. Brussels hosts NATO headquarters, while SHAPE, the alliance’s military command headquarters, is located near Mons.
The Belgian Defence Ministry had already moved in March 2025 to speed up a 4 billion euro rise in defence spending to bring the country to the 2% mark earlier than originally planned. That acceleration marked a shift from the government’s initial timetable, which had pointed to 2029. Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s administration has since pushed defence-related spending higher while also broadening the categories counted under national security, producing the updated 3.44% figure reported this week.
Alliance rules put resilience and defence totals under focus
The timing is significant because NATO leaders are due to gather in Ankara in July, when defence investment will again rank high on the agenda. Official alliance notices say the summit will be held on July 7 and 8 in the Turkish capital, with allied governments preparing to show progress on commitments made last year. For Belgium, the updated numbers offer a clearer picture of how much of its budget is now being directed to military capability, security protection and resilience as alliance definitions continue to expand.
Belgium’s revised accounting leaves the country with core military spending just above NATO’s old 2% floor and a much larger combined figure once resilience items are included. The update also highlights how alliance members are increasingly counting cyber defence, critical infrastructure and domestic preparedness alongside traditional armed forces budgets as part of national security planning. For Belgium, the recalculation marks a measurable rise in defence-related expenditure at a moment of tighter alliance scrutiny.