On Thursday 20 March, MEPs on the European Parliament Committee on Budgets approved the draft report on the 2026 budget guidelines by 27 votes to 8.
Strengthening defence and security capabilities, political and strategic autonomy and social, economic and territorial cohesion are among the European Parliament's priorities. Additional investment in research, innovation, SMEs, health, energy, border protection and the digital and green transitions is also called for.
“Unconditional and total” support for Ukraine was reaffirmed, as well as funding for pre-accession efforts, neighbourhood policies and humanitarian aid “to ensure regional stability”.
Two concerns have been expressed about the reimbursement of the costs of the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan, which will weigh on the 2026 budget, and about the “lack of progress in the EU Council” on establishing new own resources to finance the EU budget.
The plenary vote is scheduled for April. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)