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EU Budget Commissioner Says Frugal Plan May Not Save Taxpayers Money as Member States Cut €32.8 Billion
European Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin told frugal member states Thursday that reduced EU spending may not lower costs for taxpayers. He spoke during negotiations over the €2 trillion long-term budget for 2028-2034.
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European Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin said Thursday that a frugal EU long-term budget may not be cheaper for taxpayers. He delivered the remarks at the annual budget conference in Brussels. Serafin addressed countries seeking to shrink the European Commission's July 2025 proposal for a €2 trillion budget covering 2028-2034.
"We need to be mindful of the link between having a frugal budget and having a modern budget," he said. " Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Austria have pushed to reduce the proposed spending and have resisted new revenue sources.
A group of 16 southern and eastern European countries, known as the "friends of cohesion," requested higher outlays for agriculture and regional funds in late May.
The Commission's original plan had already cut those areas. Member states produced a draft compromise in mid-June that trimmed €32.8 billion from the initial proposal. Euronews reported that the text serves as an early step, with final figures unlikely before December.
Negotiators aim to complete an agreement by the end of 2026 ahead of elections in Italy, France and Poland in 2027. Serafin added that a smaller EU budget could shift strategic spending to national governments, leading to duplication and lost scale efficiencies.
