The Sound of Economics Europe’s looming budget fight
Jan 14, 2026
Johan Van Overtveldt, a Belgian politician and chairman of the European Parliament's Budget Committee, joins Zsolt Darvas, a Bruegel senior fellow focused on EU budget reform. They dive into the contentious negotiations over the EU's €2 trillion budget, especially regarding financing for agriculture and support for Ukraine. Johan highlights the challenges posed by member-state divisions, while Zsolt advocates for prioritizing European public goods. The discussion also touches on innovative funding ideas like using frozen Russian assets and the complexities of agricultural reform in a politically charged environment.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Budget Shift, Not Big Growth
- The new MFF barely increases overall size once NGEU repayments are included.
- It mainly shifts spending from agriculture and cohesion to security and competitiveness.
Partnership Plans Increase National Control
- The commission proposes national and regional partnership plans that combine cohesion and agriculture.
- That increases member states' discretion and reduces pre-allocated funding certainty.
Design Flexibility Into The MFF
- Build more flexibility into the MFF to respond to rapid geopolitical and economic change.
- Avoid rigid earmarking; allow budgets to be reallocated to emerging priorities.