Ireland Proposes €141B in EU Budget Cuts

Ireland has proposed cutting the EU’s 2028–2034 budget by €141 billion, to €1.622 trillion in 2025 prices—8% below the European Commission’s plan but still 30% above the current budget—as a compromise between fiscally conservative governments and countries resisting cuts. The proposal trims agriculture, fisheries and regional cohesion funding by 3% to €914 billion, while reducing competitiveness, research and defence spending by 13% and global cooperation by 17%; EU administration spending would also fall. It is intended to provide a basis for negotiations at next week’s summit and help secure agreement by year-end, before elections in several member states complicate the talks. Some diplomats and fiscally conservative governments say the cuts may not go far enough, while countries backing cohesion policies are wary of reductions to traditional funding.