All posts tagged: EU Budget

EU’s net payers prepare revolt as €1.8 trillion budget takes shape – POLITICO

EU’s net payers prepare revolt as €1.8 trillion budget takes shape – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

In addition to Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Ireland and Belgium are expected to be represented in the talks, which are being held ahead of a General Affairs Council in Brussels where the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (long-term budget) is to be debated. But a rival camp of 16 countries — including Italy, Spain and Poland — are pushing back on the mooted cuts. They argue that spending on agriculture, payments to poorer regions and fishing must be increased from the Commission’s budget proposal, where they make up less than half of total spending. “In the Commission’s proposal, Cohesion Policy, CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) and the CFP (Common fisheries policy) are the only policies facing reductions in real terms, despite the overall increase in the size of the new MFF,” the countries wrote in a joint statement on Monday evening that was coordinated by Romania. Signatories include Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Swedish European Affairs Minister Jessica Rosencrantz talks to …

EU Parliament vs. Germany in the battle of the budget – POLITICO

EU Parliament vs. Germany in the battle of the budget – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“Never underestimate the Parliament,” its president, Roberta Metsola, warned in a press conference after the vote, insisting lawmakers will not simply “rubber-stamp” the budget proposed by the capitals. Parliament’s pro-EU parties — the conservative European People’s Party (EPP), the Socialists & Democrats, the centrist Renew group and the Greens — all backed the call for more money for the EU to grapple with challenges such as defense and competitiveness.  “We believe we cannot do more with less; that is a myth,” said Siegfried Mureșan, a budget negotiator for the EPP. “Obviously the majority of members can only vote in favor if our demands are incorporated into the budget to a satisfactory extent.” But these calls have fallen on deaf ears in fiscally conservative countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, which are pushing for a smaller budget.  “It is sad to see that the European Parliament wants to tackle the geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges of the 21st century with budget priorities deeply rooted in the last century,” said an EU diplomat who, like others quoted in …

Parliament wants EU long-term budget to top €2 trillion – POLITICO

Parliament wants EU long-term budget to top €2 trillion – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The Parliament also called for more earmarking of funds for EU programs, and the imposition of new, EU-wide taxes on online gambling, tech giants such as Amazon and Google, and crypto firms. The Commission’s proposal for the 2028 to 2034 period envisages €1.8 trillion for expenditure on areas such as subsidies for farmers, industrial development and international aid schemes. In addition, it earmarks around €165 billion to pay back the common debt that was issued to finance the EU’s post-Covid recovery package — a measure that makes the total budget rise to €1.984 trillion. Parliament is calling for the total size of the budget to be expanded to €2 trillion, excluding the Covid debt repayments. That would effectively mean increasing its size by 10 percent. “We believe we cannot do more with less, that is a myth,” said Siegfried Mureșan of the conservative European People’s Party, who is the Parliament’s lead budget negotiator alongside Carla Tavares of the Socialists & Democrats. Source link

Trump’s Iran showdown is becoming Europe’s political nightmare – POLITICO

Trump’s Iran showdown is becoming Europe’s political nightmare – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“Energy costs are cascading into food, transport and housing, hitting lower- and middle-income households hardest,” Seamus Boland, president of the European Economic and Social Committee, which brings together trade unions from across Europe and advises the European Commission on economic and labor policy, told POLITICO. “Politically, that creates space for distrust — not just of national governments, but of European institutions’ ability to shield citizens from external shocks. It risks accelerating support for more protectionist or inward-looking approaches.” France is the biggest prize. But it is not the signal in Europe that the center is crumbling. In Bulgaria, the April 20 victory of Kremlin-friendly ex-president Rumen Radev has set incumbents around Europe on edge. In Romania, a coalition crisis could soon sweep pro-EU Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan from power. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany is eyeing gains in September’s Saxony-Anhalt state election, having already broken into parts of western Germany far from its traditional eastern power base. The Iran war will be in focus on Monday as deputy finance ministers from the EU’s …

29 leaders gathered in Cyprus. As usual, the summit was about one who didn’t. – POLITICO

29 leaders gathered in Cyprus. As usual, the summit was about one who didn’t. – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Over dinner, leaders talked about how to make the EU’s barely used mutual defense clause — Article 42.7 — work in practice, while avoiding any suggestion it could replace NATO’s Article 5 security guarantee. That discussion comes at a sensitive moment for European capitals, which are trying to respond to growing uncertainty over Washington’s commitment to European security without sending the signal — either to the U.S. or to Russia — that they are undermining NATO themselves. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was among those who came out strongly in favor of making Article 42.7 operational, according to a senior EU official, who added that Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides presented ideas on the subject to the other leaders over dinner. On Friday, leaders turned to the bloc’s next seven-year budget. The debate has been sharpened by the economic pressure of the war and by calls for the EU to become more ambitious — and more independent from Washington. The EU budget amounts to around 1 percent of the bloc’s wealth, with capitals like Berlin opposing …

Europe’s €1.8T budget fight just got real – POLITICO

Europe’s €1.8T budget fight just got real – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Raising taxes But EU institutions and countries such as France are calling for a more ambitious package, arguing the bloc needs to invest in strategic sectors and compete with its Asian and American rivals. For them, a bigger budget does not necessarily mean asking EU countries with strained public finances to pay more. Instead, they argue, the bloc should raise taxes that flow directly into the European budget, known in EU jargon as “own resources.” In July, the Commission proposed levies on carbon-intensive imported goods through the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), emissions through the ETS, non-recycled electronic waste, tobacco consumption and corporate profits. Together, they would raise €66 billion per year, the EU says. But those proposals, apart from CBAM, have previously received a cold reception from most EU countries. This time, even if no clear consensus has emerged, the discussion made progress. “The mood was constructive, there was openness to look into it,” said the EU official quoted above. And European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wasn’t discouraged. “Own resources are indispensable,” …

MEPs eye hefty EU budget increase for health – POLITICO

MEPs eye hefty EU budget increase for health – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Public health groups warn that projects not considered innovative, such as smoking-cessation campaigns to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease, would struggle to secure funds designated to boost industry competitiveness in the region. In response, the health committee is pushing to boost health funding and dedicate it solely to health projects. However, without the committee leading on the file, health MEPs have limited influence over their demands. Radan Kanev, MEP for the European People’s Party, is the author of the committee’s draft opinion on health funding in the proposed competitiveness fund. “I hope these figures will not be frightening to our colleagues,” Kanev told POLITICO, referring to MEPs on other committees as well as national governments. “It is really needed … to show the benefits of scale for European health policy,” he said. His report asks for a carve-out of €15.55 billion for health (from the €20.4 billion health-agriculture-bioeconomy pot of the competitiveness fund). From this, €5.5 billion would support industrial competitiveness in areas including pharma and medical devices, he said. The other €10.05 billion would …

The clock is ticking on the EU’s next budget – POLITICO

The clock is ticking on the EU’s next budget – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Brussels faces a narrowing window to strike a deal on its next long-term budget. EU leaders gather in Cyprus this week for a potential clash over the bloc’s €1.8 trillion plan — already dividing north and south, farmers and reformers, capitals and Brussels. Council President Antonio Costa wants momentum. But with proposed new EU taxes, debt repayments and looming elections on the table, compromise looks distant. On today’s episode, Ian Wishart and Ryan Heath break down what’s at stake — and why this battle is only just beginning. They also dig into the Commission’s new emergency energy package, as fears of a new crisis grow — driven by the war in Iran and disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Plus: A rekindled Paris–Brussels romance raises awkward questions about power, politics and conflicts of interest. Got a question or a comment? Contact us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Further reading: Source link

Costa steps up pressure to break EU budget deadlock – POLITICO

Costa steps up pressure to break EU budget deadlock – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“We need a political steer from leaders as there is only so much we can do at a technical level,” said an EU diplomat. “It is no longer [the] time for leaders to read their pre-written notes during the summit.” The discussion in Nicosia is expected to help the Cyprus presidency of the Council of the EU propose a budget negotiating document with new figures in June. French vote looming Europe’s electoral calendars have created a narrow window of opportunity for Costa to advance talks, according to several officials following the negotiations. The victory of Hungary’s conservative Péter Magyar over incumbent Viktor Orbán — who opposed funding for Ukraine and links between payouts and rule-of-law criteria, two priorities for most capitals — has given leaders an opportunity to move discussions forward. Orbán, who is set to remain Hungary’s caretaker leader until mid-May, won’t attend the summit. Governments are now eyeing their chance to conclude the budget talks before the French election. There are lingering fears in Brussels that the National Rally’s platform — including cutting France’s contributions …

Talks on EU’s €1.8T budget hinge on Hungarian election – POLITICO

Talks on EU’s €1.8T budget hinge on Hungarian election – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Given the Hungarian leader’s success in remaining in power, 10 EU officials and diplomats, all granted anonymity to speak freely with POLITICO, outlined what they see as the worst-case scenario: Orbán securing a fourth term and derailing budget negotiations. “We are not in a rush, so if we win the elections, then we certainly don’t see the need to rush the agreement on the MFF through by the end of 2026,” said Hungarian Minister for European Affairs János Bóka. During negotiations to date, the Hungarian government has called for the links between EU payments and respect for democratic standards to be dismantled. Those standards, however, are a key priority for wealthy Northern European countries, whose contributions to the EU budget largely exceed the payouts they receive in return. “One can easily imagine how a discussion on the rule of law will be more difficult if a government [led by Viktor Orbán] that has had the most difficulties and recorded breaks of the rule of law stays in power,” said Jan Szyszko, Poland’s deputy minister for …