Haushalt: EU-Haushaltszoff –Vorsitz präsentiert neuen Vorschlag

Brussels - A new negotiating proposal regarding the upcoming long-term EU budget is on the table, presented by the Irish EU Council presidency in Brussels. According to this Irish plan, the next long-term EU budget, ranging from 2028 to 2034, would be reduced by approximately 159 billion euros compared to the initial proposal by the European Commission.

This would bring the financial framework to a total of 1.826 trillion euros, both figures calculated in current prices that account for anticipated inflation over the seven-year period.

The proposal particularly emphasizes cuts in areas where the EU Commission initially intended to allocate more funds for competitiveness, research, defense, as well as foreign and development policies. Traditional major budget items such as agricultural and cohesion policies would largely be spared. Cohesion policy, aimed at reducing economic and social disparities between European regions, primarily benefits poorer EU states.

The formation of an agreement on the next long-term EU budget is expected by the end of the year, but the success of this new plan in facilitating a quick breakthrough in negotiations remains uncertain. Germany and other significant net contributor countries, including the Netherlands, Sweden, and Austria, had initially demanded a reduction in the budget proposal by several hundred billion euros.

An EU diplomat commented on Saturday, stating that the Irish proposal was a disappointment and far from a possible agreement foundation. The proposed significant increase in spending was deemed unaffordable, as it favored 20th-century political priorities over preparing the EU for the 21st century. "We urgently need more financial realism and less financial fantasy," the diplomat said.

The EU budget is predominantly financed through a share of the Member States' gross national income (GNI); Germany, being the largest economy within the EU, contributes the most.