Siegfried Mureşan proposes digital tax for EU budget

Siegfried Mureşan, the European Parliament's chief negotiator for the next EU budget, is advocating for an increase in the budget for the 2028–2034 period. Speaking at the European Forum Alpbach, Mureşan noted that the EU faces growing responsibilities regarding security, defense, competitiveness, border protection, and food and energy security.

The European Commission has proposed a budget of 2 trillion euros for the 2028–2034 multiannual financial framework, while the European Parliament is calling for 2.2 trillion euros. This follows the current 2021–2027 period, which has a budget of approximately 1.2 trillion euros.

Mureşan expressed understanding for the position of “frugal” member states—including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden—noting their difficult national budgetary situations. To address the need for more funding without placing excessive burdens on member states, he proposed the introduction of new own resources, such as a moderate EU-wide digital tax.