Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni requested the exclusion of energy expenses from the EU Stability Pact.

In a letter addressed to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni requested that 'investments and extraordinary measures necessary to respond to the energy crisis' be exempted from the Stability and Growth Pact of the European Union, which requires member states to keep budget deficits below 3% of GDP. Meloni emphasized that the crisis in the Middle East and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, along with Russian aggression in Ukraine, have a significant impact on energy prices and costs for families and companies.

She argued that, similar to the exclusion of defense spending from the deficit calculation, energy costs should be treated in the same way. Meloni warned that Italy would have difficulties justifying participation in the EU's SAFE program without similar flexibility for energy spending. She also proposed a temporary extension of the 'national safeguard clause' to include emergency measures in the energy sector.