Germany and five other fiscally conservative European Union nations are calling for the bloc’s proposed €2 trillion ($2.3 trillion) seven-year budget to be reduced by several hundred billion euros.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosted counterparts from the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Finland and Sweden in Berlin on Thursday to coordinate their position ahead of negotiations over the EU’s 2028-2034 budget.
In a joint statement, the countries said the budget should reflect fiscal consolidation underway across member states and that spending priorities should be reassessed in a balanced manner.
The proposal includes nearly €900 billion for agriculture, more than €400 billion for competitiveness and research, and about €130 billion for defense and security. It also includes a fund of up to €100 billion for Ukraine’s war effort, according to Bloomberg.
The European Commission presented the initial plan in July 2025. Germany rejected its €2 trillion price tag as unacceptable, while negotiations remain divided over agricultural spending, cohesion funds and rebates for wealthier members.
