The European Parliament’s committees had until Friday 21 February to submit their opinions on Parliament’s guidelines for the 2026 EU budget. A few days after the Council of the EU drew up its own guidelines on Tuesday 18 February (see EUROPE 13582/21), Agence Europe reviews Parliament’s draft report published on 20 December 2024.
The draft report by Andrzej Halicki (EPP, Polish) focuses on “unprecedented geopolitical challenges”. It places greater emphasis on strengthening public safety than the 2025 draft budget plan did a year ago.
The EU will have to “achieve effectiveness in the field of defence and strategic autonomy by applying a comprehensive approach to security covering civilian and military capabilities, external relations and internal security”. EU pre-accession funds, because they reinforce stability in the region, and border protection are also cited as ways of strengthening EU security. The same applies to increasing energy independence, which is called for against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty.
The next annual budget should also be organised under the banner of competitiveness, according to Mr Halicki. It will be necessary to stimulate investment; fund research and innovation, through the Horizon Europe programme, to develop cutting-edge industries and new clean technologies in the EU; support the creation and growth of SMEs through InvestEU; and invest in the digital infrastructures of the future, with a focus on “artificial intelligence and cybersecurity”.
More typically, cohesion policy, the common agricultural policy, fisheries, health and the Erasmus + programme are also mentioned in the draft report.
Like the Council, the MEP called for transparency on the borrowing costs of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) instrument, while warning that, according to the 2021-2027 MFF agreement, “expenditure to cover financing costs [...] should not aim to reduce programmes and funds”.
The report on the general approaches for preparing the 2026 budget is due to be voted on at the European Parliament’s plenary session in early April, after passing through the Parliament’s Committee on Budgets.
To see Parliament's draft report (in French), go to https://aeur.eu/f/flu (Original version in French by Florent Servia)