EU budget: Bulgaria’s Economic and Social Council rejects 8 percent cut
Employers, unions and civil society agree: the Irish compromise for 2028–2034 endangers cohesion and farm policy. The council also wants the ETS2 carbon price introduced no earlier than 2030.
Symbolic image · Photo: Serenapaliria / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Bulgaria’s Economic and Social Council (ESC) opposes the cut to the 2028–2034 multiannual financial framework proposed by the Irish presidency of the EU Council. An 8 percent cut would jeopardize the Union’s ability to respond sustainably and adequately to economic, social and geopolitical challenges, it said in an opinion, according to the BTA news agency. The opinion reflects a consensus among employers, unions and civil society groups.
The council calls for cohesion policy and the Common Agricultural Policy to be preserved as pillars; cuts should be targeted rather than across the board. Among other things, it rejects a 13 percent reduction for the European Competitiveness Fund, nearly 10 percent for Horizon Europe and 14 percent for the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) infrastructure fund. New own resources from emissions trading and tobacco taxes would place a disproportionate burden on smaller member states such as Bulgaria. In addition, the carbon price for transport and buildings (ETS2) should start no earlier than 2030.
Ireland proposed last week cutting the future financial framework by about €140 billion compared with the Commission’s draft of almost €1.985 trillion. That is not enough for Germany and a group of other countries; Chancellor Friedrich Merz is calling for significant cuts. France rejects the compromise and is demanding an “ambitious” budget with new own resources.