Ireland's EU Council Presidency cautions Germany over long‑term EU budget split

Ireland has taken over the six‑month rotating EU Council presidency, with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin warning that without compromise no multi‑year EU budget will be adopted. Martin said negotiations on the €1.98 trillion (inflation‑adjusted €1.76 trillion) budget for 2028‑2034 will be "very, very hard" because member states hold diametrically opposite positions.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called the Commission’s proposal "unaffordable and unbalanced" and urged cuts of about €400 billion, roughly a 20 % reduction. France and Italy are open to new EU borrowing to bridge gaps, while Germany categorically rejects additional debt. The disputed funding would support competitiveness projects, farmers and low‑income regions. Martin aims to secure an EU agreement on the long‑term budget before the end of the year.