Ireland proposes an 8% cut to the EU budget. Others are even more radical
Ireland has proposed cutting the European Union budget for 2028-2034 by approximately 140 billion euros, or 8% compared to the European Commission's draft. However, Germany and other major donor countries are demanding an even more substantial reduction in spending, writes Deutsche Welle.
Ireland, which currently holds the EU presidency, presented its budget variant on Saturday, October 10.
It is proposed to cut international aid by 17%, administrative expenses by 12%, and funding for the new competitiveness fund by approximately 13%. Spending on agriculture and regional development funds could be reduced by 3%.
The Irish plan also envisages a significant reduction in funding for scientific research, defense, foreign policy, and development policy — areas for which the European Commission initially planned to allocate more funds. At the same time, traditionally large budget items related to agriculture and cohesion policy are almost untouched.
The Irish proposal will be discussed at the EU summit next week.
Significant contradictions exist among the 27 EU countries regarding the amount of the future budget. Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Austria, which are major EU donors, advocate for a significant reduction in spending compared to the European Commission's plan.
At the same time, France, Spain, and Poland insist on a larger budget and categorically oppose cuts to agricultural subsidies.
The EU expects to reach an agreement by the end of the year. Political circumstances also influence negotiations: presidential elections are due in France next spring, and early parliamentary elections are scheduled in Spain for November this year. According to AFP, the Spanish election campaign could further complicate reaching an agreement.
One EU diplomat, speaking to the dpa agency, expressed disappointment with the Irish draft. In his opinion, the proposal cannot even become a remote basis for an agreement, as the expenditure increase it provides remains unaffordable for the budget. The diplomat also stated that the plan prioritizes 20th-century political objectives instead of preparing the European Union for the challenges of the 21st century. He called for a more realistic approach to funding.
The EU budget is mainly formed by contributions from member states, calculated based on their gross national income. Germany makes the largest contribution, its economy significantly outperforming the economies of the other EU countries.
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