Italy seeks EU nod to use fiscal leeway to help families, not just green transition

ROME, Oct 12 (Reuters) — Italy is in talks with the European Commission to use part of the budget leeway provided by the so-called "National Escape Clause" (NEC) to help families cope with surging energy costs, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Tuesday. The NEC allows EU countries to temporarily hike deficits to ​lift defence spending and to pay for investment that helps the transition from fossil fuels to green energy. Addressing lawmakers on Italy's multi-year budget plan, Giorgetti called for greater flexibility on the European Union's budget rules "We believe that the NEC should, especially at this early stage, provide selective and temporary support to families and businesses facing difficulties due to rising energy prices and inflation," Giorgetti said "Therefore, a sort of discussion is currently underway and will continue until EU authorities adopt the NEC for Italy, to determine which measures to include," he added Giorgetti reiterated that the government was working to ensure Italy's exit from the EU's ongoing infringement procedure for excessive deficit "next spring" The government will unveil its 2027 budget this month, the last under Prime Minister Giorgia M