Commission floats EU budget changes to avoid Parliament rejection
Budget chief Piotr Serafin did not confirm whether revisions would follow before Parliament’s ultimatum next Wednesday
The European Commission said it would consider changes to a key part of its next EU budget proposal after a high-stakes meeting on Wednesday with the European Parliament.
Lawmakers have frequently threatened to block a €865 billion plan to merge farmer and regional subsidies in the next long-term budget, issuing an ultimatum with demands to be met by next Wednesday.
“It’s clear we need to think about the legal changes,” Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin said after talks with Parliament leaders. He did not confirm whether revisions would follow before the deadline.
Ahead of the meeting, Siegfried Mureșan, centre-right co-lead negotiator for the Parliament, was clear that “only political declarations of intention are not sufficient.”
If the Commission fails to strengthen the role of regions, farmers, and Parliament in the proposal by next Wednesday, Mureșan has warned that an overwhelming majority will back a resolution rejecting the plan, effectively stalling talks with EU governments.
EU countries are currently evaluating the Commission’s proposal and are set to put their own amendments forward in 2026. The Parliament has the power to reject the final budget version, which is expected to be ready in early 2027.
The Commission “need to amend the proposal,” echoed Mureșan’s centre-left S&D counterpart Carla Tavares after Wednesday’s meeting.
One parliamentary source close to the meeting said Serafin floated the possibility of concessions on all three of Parliament’s key demands: mandatory regional involvement in spending, amending the EU’s agricultural policy, and increasing MEPs’ influence.
Another source said he appeared most open to addressing concerns about the role of regions.
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The two parliamentary sources said they expect the Commission to unveil changes later this week.
With less than a week left, several meetings between the Commission and Parliament are planned in the coming days to try to hash out a deal.
“In EU politics, Wednesday next week is in the distant future,” one parliamentary source quipped.
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