As the EU is under growing pressure to strengthen its geopolitical role, the recently begun negotiations on its long-term budget for 2028–2034 acquire key political relevance.
As usual, the negotiation process for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is expected to be complex and slow. With all member states and the European Parliament wielding veto power, common goals often become secondary to conflicting national and institutional interests.
Key disputes include the overall size of the budget, the introduction of new tax-like own resources, and the reallocation of funding from traditional agricultural and cohesion spending to new strategic priorities. In addition, a proposed governance reform – which would introduce national spending plans to be negotiated between national governments and the Commission – has raised concerns in the European Parliament about politicisation and a loss of parliamentary oversight.
Based on past experience, the negotiations are likely to ultimately result in a compromise solution. However, if the Commission’s original ambitions are watered down too much, the new MFF may fall short of adequately addressing the challenges facing the Union today.
