EU Budget for Future Research Adopted
On 15 November, the European Parliament reached an agreement with EU member states on the EU budget for next year. The deal includes an additional €372.7 million for Parliament’s priorities on top of the European Commission’s initial draft budget. Overall, the agreed 2026 EU budget amounts to €192.8 billion in commitments and €190.1 billion in payments. MEPs focused on strengthening programmes and policies that improve citizens’ lives, boost competitiveness, and respond to growing security and defence challenges.
Increased funding for key EU programmes
According to the European Commission, more than 93% of the EU budget is spent directly on programmes that support people and projects across member states. The annual EU budget, which serves 27 countries and around 450 million Europeans, has averaged between €160 billion and €200 billion during the 2021–2027 period. For next year, several flagship programmes will receive additional funding. Horizon Europe will be reinforced by €20 million, while ttransport and energy networks will receive an extra €23.5 million. Funding will also increase for the Civil Protection Mechanism and RescEU. In addition, military mobility will benefit from an extra €10 million, and border management will be further strengthened. Other programmes receiving top-ups include the LIFE programme, EU4Health and Erasmus+. A full breakdown of the budget and programme-specific increases is available online here.
More than 93% of the EU budget goes directly into EU programmes that support people and projects across member states. The annual EU budget, which serves 27 countries and 450 million Europeans, is relatively small – on average €160 to 200 billion over the 2021 to 2027 period. This is comparable to the national budget of Poland, which serves 39 million people, or the equivalent of 30% of the budget of Germany, which serves 84 million people. (Source: Commission)
Parliament’s perspective
As Chair of the Committee on Budgets, Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE) underlined the growing expectations placed on EU finances (Watch the full plenary speech.):
“We live in turbulent times, with rising expectations and increasing demands on the EU budget. As citizens’ priorities evolve, it is essential for the Parliament and EU institutions to listen and respond effectively. Progress is being made, but the budget alone will only get us so far. Continued efforts and further steps will be needed to enhance competitiveness”
Similarly, Andrzej Halicki (EPP, PL), general rapporteur for the EU’s 2026 budget (Section III – Commission), highlighted how the agreement reflects today’s complex geopolitical environment (Watch the full plenary speech):
“In the difficult circumstances of Russia’s war of aggression, natural disasters and geopolitical pressures, we stayed focused on our priority for the 2026 budget during the negotiations with EU governments: a safer, stronger Europe. Parliament secured nearly €400 million in top-ups, reinstated cuts proposed by the Council and reinforced key programmes, for example ensuring better border protection, military mobility, and greater support for our neighbourhood and humanitarian aid. United in our position throughout the process, we delivered a solid budget for next year that focuses on a secure, stable, and stronger Europe for citizens,”
Matjaž Nemec (S&D, SI) , rapporteur for the other budget sections, emphasised the broader vision behind the agreement (Watch the full plenary speech):
“The 2026 EU budget represents the Europe we want to build: one that invests in knowledge, youth, research, environmental protection, solidarity, and humanitarian aid. We secured a strong deal that supports crucial EU programmes and key institutions, strengthens our rule of law protections and values, and delivers for our citizens. Thanks to Parliament, the agreement on additional staff and top-ups moves the Union forward, stronger – and this is something we can all be proud of”
Source: the original article was published here.