EU budget showdown slips to November as Costa pushes for a quick deal
The key negotiation on the EU's long-term budget has been pushed back to November. European Council President António Costa wants a deal by year-end, and French President Emmanuel Macron has backed that goal.
The decisive round of talks on the European Union's long-term budget has been postponed to November. European Council President António Costa, who chairs the meetings of EU leaders, is pushing for a quick agreement. No common position on the next budget has yet been reached.
Macron's warning
French President Emmanuel Macron told EU leaders at a summit that the budget must be agreed by the end of the year. He said that from January there would be no political room left to conclude a deal. His backing is a significant boost to Costa's plan to wrap up the negotiations by the end of the year.
Resistance and Commission concerns
Some member states are weakening the deadline. Italy and France had earlier resisted Costa's push to secure a deal in 2026. Those reports appeared before Macron's statement.
Changes proposed by Ireland to the long-term budget have also drawn criticism from the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. The Commission warns that Dublin's changes overwhelmingly hit its priorities, such as competitiveness and flexibility, and so weaken the EU.
The source material also says the EU is eyeing revenue from a global tax deal as a possible boost for the next budget. The excerpt gives no further details.
What happens next depends on whether member states can agree on a common approach in November.
