The European Parliament is moving closer to finalising its position on the EU’s next long-term budget, setting the stage for a key institutional milestone in shaping the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), with co-rapporteurs signalling broad agreement ahead of a decisive committee vote.
Speaking at a press briefing ahead of Wednesday’s Budgets Committee vote, MEP co-rapporteurs Siegfried Mureşan and Carla Tavares said Parliament was on track to become the first co-legislator to adopt its formal position, providing the basis for negotiations with the European Commission and the Council.
Mureşan said the aim is for the report to be adopted in committee and then endorsed in plenary by the end of April, enabling the launch of interinstitutional talks. He described Parliament’s approach as focused on a “sufficient and predictable” budget that supports new EU priorities while also correcting and improving the Commission’s proposal. He stressed that the next MFF must provide adequate resources for security and competitiveness, while safeguarding traditional priorities such as agriculture and cohesion policy.
He also underlined that repayment of NextGenerationEU debt should not come at the expense of EU programmes, arguing it must be handled “over and above” the main budget. According to the Romanian MEP, Parliament is proposing a budget equivalent to 1.27% of EU Gross National Income, with debt repayment managed separately through the introduction of new own resources. He added that the Commission’s original approach would have risked putting pressure on funding lines for farmers, Erasmus students, and other beneficiaries.
On the structure of the budget, Mureşan also criticised proposals to merge key funding streams into broad national plans, arguing that Parliament is seeking to preserve clear and predictable allocations for agriculture and cohesion policy.
Tavares, meanwhile, said the next MFF must be more ambitious, stressing that the EU needs to be equipped to respond to growing challenges in competitiveness, defence and security. She also highlighted the importance of safeguarding rule-of-law conditionality, stating that this cannot be compromised when it comes to the protection of EU funds and beneficiaries.
The Portuguese further emphasised the need to expand the EU’s system of own resources beyond NextGenerationEU repayment, arguing that reforms are needed to address long-standing budgetary pressures.
Among options under discussion are revenues linked to emissions trading, digital taxation, carbon border measures, financial transaction taxes and corporate taxation.
