EU summit: Merz calls for cuts to 'too high' long-term budget
06/19/2026 June 19, 2026 Germany's Merz objects to bigger EU budget Merz attended the EU meeting after attending the G7 summit in France Image: Marius
06/19/2026 June 19, 2026 Germany's Merz objects to bigger EU budget Merz attended the EU meeting after attending the G7 summit in France Image: Marius Burgelman/AP Photo/picture alliance German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he is in favor of a smaller proposal for the European Union's next long-term budget for the period from 2028 until 2034. "The proposal on the table is far too high.
The figures need to be reduced," Merz said before talks with other EU leaders on Friday. "A new proposal must be put forward," he said. The European Commission has proposed a budget of nearly €2 million ($2.29 million) or 1.26% of the EU's gross national income on average between 2028 and 2034. But negotiations are tricky and often meet resistance from leaders who prioritize their own key interests.
Currently, the European Commission is debating a 2% reduction in the proposed budget. What is the EU's long-term budget? The EU's long-term budget is also sometimes referred to as the multiannual financial framework (MFF), as it is called in the EU treaty. It sets limits on how much money the EU can invest over a period of at least five years in different policy areas.
Recent long-term budgets have been set for seven years. One of the reasons the EU has a long-term budget is to make it easier for the beneficiaries of the programs that the EU wants to fund to plan and increase their efficiency.
The BriefWire