Johan Van Overtveldt

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.