EU budget showdown slips to November as Costa pushes for quick deal
European Council President António Costa is pushing for a quick agreement on the EU's long-term budget, but the decisive talks have slipped to November. French President Emmanuel Macron told the summit a deal must be reached by the end of the year.
European Council President António Costa, who chairs summits of EU national leaders, is pushing for a quick agreement on the European Union's long-term budget. According to the headline from Politico Europe, the decisive showdown has slipped to November. The outcome will shape how the EU divides its money in the coming years and which priorities it funds.
At the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron urged EU leaders to agree on the budget by the end of the year. He said that from January there would be no political room left to conclude a deal.
Doubts over the deadline
On 14 October, Politico Europe reported that Italy and France were resisting Costa's push to secure a deal in 2026. EU capitals were therefore weakening the end-of-year deadline.
Other disputes surround the budget proposal. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, warned on 11 October that Ireland's changes to the long-term budget overwhelmingly hit Commission priorities such as competitiveness and flexibility. In the Commission's view, this weakens the EU.
On 10 October, Germany said that €159 billion in budget cuts were not enough. Frugal countries, which favour spending restraint, said an end-of-year agreement had become less likely after Ireland's proposal.
Member states therefore remain divided over both the timing and the content of the budget.
