Seventeen EU leaders press Irish presidency to protect farm funding in next budget

EU leaders seek protection for farm funding

Poinews.com – Seventeen EU leaders press Irish presidency officials to keep agricultural and cohesion spending at the heart of the European Union’s next long-term budget. In a letter to Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the group argues that established policies should not lose funding as the EU responds to new strategic pressures.

The appeal concerns the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, the EU’s seven-year spending plan. As president-in-office of the Council of the European Union, Martin has a central role in efforts to revise the Negotiating Box used to guide the budget talks among member states.

The letter was signed by the leaders of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Hungary. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Romanian President Nicușor Dan were the first signatories.

New priorities and existing commitments

Seventeen EU leaders press Irish representatives to recognise the growing need for investment in defence, security, competitiveness, connectivity, energy security and resilience. However, the signatories say these priorities should receive fresh resources instead of being financed by cutting long-standing treaty-based programmes.

“The next MFF must enable Europe to seize these opportunities while at the same time responding to growing challenges, including security and defence, competitiveness, connectivity, energy security and resilience.”

The leaders argue that the overall funding level set out under Cyprus’s presidency should remain the reference point for meeting the EU’s financing needs. They warn that lowering ambitions for existing policies could weaken support for the European project while the budget’s structure and spending methods are being reshaped.

CAP and cohesion policy remain central

Agriculture and cohesion policy are the main concerns in the letter. The Common Agricultural Policy supports farmers and rural areas across the EU, while cohesion policy aims to reduce economic and social disparities between countries and regions.

Seventeen EU leaders press Irish budget negotiators to preserve both areas in the next MFF. They say cohesion funding promotes convergence in less-developed regions, while CAP spending contributes to food security and rural economic activity. In their view, both policies also reinforce the single market and benefit the Union beyond the regions receiving funds directly.

“We therefore believe that overall funding for cohesion policy and the CAP should be preserved in the next MFF.”

The signatories say the European Commission’s proposal already produces real-terms reductions for cohesion policy and the CAP, despite an expected increase in the overall size of the Multiannual Financial Framework. They contend that further reductions would not make the budget more modern.

Revenue, debt and budget rebates

The 17 leaders say they are willing to discuss the revenue side of the negotiations, including new EU own resources that are genuine, fair, simple and non-regressive. They argue that such income could ease pressure on national budgets.

They also suggest considering a longer repayment period for NextGenerationEU debt, subject to careful assessment of the impact on total repayment costs. The group says this could create additional fiscal space within the 2028-2034 budget.

Limited, targeted European debt instruments for clearly defined strategic priorities are another option mentioned in the letter. The leaders link this position to their joint declaration of 26 May and maintain that new ambitions should be financed alongside, rather than instead of, agriculture and cohesion funding.

The letter also questions the system of national budget rebates, arguing that the EU must find a sustainable way to fund common priorities while protecting policies that affect rural communities and regional development.

FAQ: What does the EU budget debate mean?

What is the next EU budget? The 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework is the EU’s long-term budget, setting spending priorities over seven years.

Why are farm payments involved? The Common Agricultural Policy supports farmers and rural areas, and the signatories want its overall funding preserved.

What is cohesion policy? Cohesion policy is intended to reduce economic and social gaps between EU regions and member states.