Merz unites EU budget-cutters as Costa gropes for deal
In Berlin, six governments will discuss pushing for a smaller EU budget, while António Costa continues consulting other governments — many of which don't want reductions.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is convening a group of EU leaders to discuss reducing the next seven-year EU budget by hundreds of billions of euros. This comes as the European Council president, António Costa, tours the bloc attempting to broker a compromise on the budget. Merz, who is unpopular in Germany and faces a potential loss in a key state election, has rejected the European Commission's proposal for the €2 trillion budget for 2028-2034.
The leaders, including the Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Denmark, and Sweden, are demanding a substantial reduction in the budget and a shift in spending priorities away from agriculture towards defense, security, and migration. They also seek conditions to prevent governments from receiving funds if they breach democratic standards.
The meeting in Berlin is crucial for the EU's stability and the outcome of national elections in France, Spain, and Italy. The leaders are expected to produce a united front for the negotiations, but concrete numbers have not been finalized yet.
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