European Parliament pushes €2tn budget

The European Parliament voted on April 28 to push the European Union's next seven-year budget above €2 trillion. (politico.eu) (europarl.europa.eu) In Strasbourg, lawmakers adopted their negotiating position for the 2028-2034 budget by 370 votes to 201, with 84 abstentions. They want the core budget set at 1.27% of European Union gross national income, with repayment of the post-pandemic recovery fund kept outside the caps. (europarl.europa.eu 1) (europarl.europa.eu 2) That would amount to about €1.789 trillion in 2025 prices for programs, plus €149.3 billion for NextGenerationEU debt service above the ceilings. Parliament says that is about 10% more than the European Commission proposed in July 2025. (europarl.europa.eu 1) (europarl.europa.eu 2) The fight is about more than headline size. The Commission's July 16, 2025 proposal shifted money toward competitiveness, security and defence, while reducing the relative weight of farm spending and cohesion funds for poorer regions. (europarl.europa.eu) Parliament is trying to add money back into those traditional programs while also financing defence, industrial policy and military mobility. It is also resisting a redesign that would fold major spending streams into national and regional plans negotiated mainly with member states. (reuters.com) (europarl.europa.eu) Lawmakers also want new European Union revenue sources, including a digital levy and other bloc-level taxes, to help fund the budget. Supporters say that would reduce pressure on direct national contributions. (dw.com) (euronews.com) Germany, the largest net contributor, has already rejected the scale of the plan, and other frugal governments are expected to line up with Berlin. Under European Union rules, national governments must agree the long-term budget unanimously, and Parliament must then give its consent. (dw.com) (europarl.europa.eu) That leaves Brussels heading into a familiar budget standoff: Parliament is demanding more money and more oversight, while capitals are preparing to argue over how much they will pay and who controls the spending. (politico.eu) (europarl.europa.eu)