The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, expressed understanding regarding the concerns of Germany and other net contributors who wish to limit their national payments to the EU budget. In a contribution to the FAZ, he stated that the new priorities related to defense, security, and competitiveness must be implemented within the framework of “limited resources.” He argued that the majority of funding would come from national contributions of the member states, adding, “We must keep these contributions within reasonable limits.”
The Portuguese social democrat is beginning a series of visits to almost all major capitals this Tuesday, including Berlin. By mid-September, he intends to explore political possibilities during the challenging negotiations regarding the next EU financial framework for the years 2028 to 2034.
In his guest article, Costa emphasized his ambition for a “balanced and ambitious package of new common resources” to be an essential part of the overall agreement. This refers to own resources that would flow directly into the EU. Costa reaffirmed the goal of reaching an agreement by the end of the year, citing the necessity of making the required preparations so that the new programs can be launched starting in 2028.
