June 30, 2026
Germany is demanding a €400 billion ($456 billion) cut to the European Commission's proposed budget of €2 trillion for 2028-2034, warning that the current plans are "unaffordable," according to an internal government document seen by Reuters on Tuesday.
Because the EU budget, called Multiannual Financial Framework, requires unanimity among all 27 member states, Germany's sharp opposition signals a tough battle ahead, with Berlin warning in the document that "as it stands, an agreement is impossible."
As the EU's largest net contributor, Germany is alarmed by the proposed scale of the next seven-year budget, which is a significant increase from the €1.3 trillion budget for 2021-2027.
Berlin argues that even with its proposed €400 billion trim, the budget would still be 27 percent larger than the current one, pushing Germany's annual contribution to over €50 billion.
