Germany news: Merz pushes sweeping reform agenda
06/11/2026 June 11, 2026 Merz pushes EU reforms ahead of summit German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for faster European Union reforms ahead of next
06/11/2026 June 11, 2026 Merz pushes EU reforms ahead of summit German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for faster European Union reforms ahead of next week's summit in Brussels. In his speech to parliament on Thursday, he said the bloc's new competitiveness agenda should be put in place this year or by mid-2027 at the latest.
Merz said Germany would push to cut bureaucracy and press the European Commission to act. He also called for a major overhaul of the EU budget from 2028, saying spending must reflect the focus on competitiveness. Merz criticized plans to increase the budget, urging Brussels to show restraint on money and staffing.
The chancellor said EU leaders would also discuss trade policy at the summit. He warned the bloc must protect its economy from unfair practices, pointing to
US tariffs and concerns over Chinese subsidies. "We are protecting our interests and our economy against trade practices by other nations that distort competition," he said.
The BriefWire