Von der Leyen urges EU lawmakers to protect €2 trillion budget ahead of summit

Ursula von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, urging legislators not to slash the forthcoming seven-year EU budget, which the Commission has set at just under €2 trillion, or 1.26 % of the bloc’s GNI. She cautioned that heavy reductions would undermine critical priorities previously agreed upon by all members. Germany, heading a group of fiscally conservative states, has called for major cuts, arguing one outlet financial framework is costly for Berlin.

In contrast, a coalition of 17 southern and eastern EU nations recently signed a joint letter demanding the preservation of the Common Agricultural Policy and cohesion policy funds. At a press briefing, Romanian MEP Siegfried Muresan, co-leading the budget talks with Portuguese MEP Claudia Tavares, noted that the Irish presidency still has an opportunity to prevent “unjustified cuts” that could weaken Europe and strain parliament-council cooperation.