Six EU governments demand deep cuts to next budget

Germany and five other European Union governments are calling for the bloc’s proposed 2028-2034 budget to be cut by several hundred billion euros, warning they will not support an agreement without substantial reductions. Their demand, set out in a letter dated September 28 to Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, also calls for shifting spending toward security and defence, competitiveness, innovation and migration-related priorities. The signatories are the leaders of Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden. They say all parts of the proposed budget should contribute to savings, including agriculture and cohesion funding, which supports less-developed regions. The European Commission’s plan is worth nearly €2 trillion over seven years. The six governments have not specified a precise reduction. The letter argues that the budget should reflect new priorities and be financially sustainable. The six countries also say they provide almost 40% of member states’ contributions. That figure refers to their share of contributions, not their share of the proposed budget.