Next EU budget must boost defence and growth

“The next long-term EU budget must be better aligned with the Union’s new priorities of competitiveness and defence. These are the main expectations people have of Europe, and we will always align our budget priorities with them. We also need to keep in mind the two traditional pillars of agriculture and cohesion, making sure they are well-funded and adapted to the current needs of our regions, our farmers, and our enterprises,” said Siegfried Mureșan MEP, the European Parliament’s co-negotiator of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and Vice-President of the EPP Group, ahead of today's vote in the Parliament's Budgetary Committee. 

“We also want the budget to be more flexible and simpler - flexible to respond to new and unforeseen challenges, and simpler, with less bureaucracy, to ensure easier access to funding,” Mureșan added.

The EPP Group is calling for a budget that matches the scale of the challenges ahead - higher than the 2021–2027 budget period and exceeding the current self-imposed limit of 1% of the EU’s Gross National Income (GNI).

The Parliament's Budgetary Committee votes today on its priorities and wishes for the next long-term EU budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework from 2028 onwards.

“We are also calling for new own resources. Without fresh revenue, EU programmes will face cuts, or taxpayers will have to bear the burden,” Mureșan stressed.

The EPP Group wants to prioritise defence, calling for spending to be fully integrated into the EU budget and aligned with the Union’s long-term strategic goals. "At the same time, we must support national investments and incentivise private investment in the defence industry,” Mureșan said.

Recalling the key role of the European Parliament in the budgetary process, Mureșan rejects the European Commission’s proposal for a budget fragmented into 27 national plans. “This is not the right approach,” he said. "It would be unfair if, for example, farmers lost funding simply because their government failed to implement a technical reform.”

Mureșan also stressed the need to support the agricultural sector with predictable funding to withstand inflationary shocks and ensure food security and economic stability.

The EPP Group reaffirms its commitment to transparency and accountability: “We will continue to fight corruption and misuse of EU funds. Anyone who wants access to EU funding must respect European values and the rule of law,” Mureșan concluded.