General Affairs Council Debates 2028–2034 EU Budget, Members Split on New 'Own Resources'

EU affairs ministers held a policy debate at the General Affairs Council on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034) and began preparing the agenda for the October European Council. Member states largely held their existing positions: Germany said it remained open to new EU 'own resources' except a proposed tax on large companies, while Denmark and Germany cautioned that new revenue streams were not a 'magic solution' to budget pressures. Deeper divisions persist between Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, who want a leaner budget focused on competitiveness, defence and migration, and France, Poland and Italy, who want to preserve historical agricultural and cohesion spending. The Irish Council Presidency aims to table its own compromise text in the first week of October, with the goal of a political agreement among the 27 by the end of 2026 so funding is not interrupted from January 2028.