Six 'frugal' EU states demand hundreds of billions be cut from bloc's next €1.9 trillion budget

From the Newshound archive · first published 29 September 2026.

Six EU heads of government, led by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have written to Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin urging cuts of several hundred billion euros to the bloc's proposed €1.9 trillion budget for 2028–2034. The signatories — Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Finland and Sweden — described the European Commission's proposed 60% nominal spending increase as "simply not realistic." Ireland currently holds the rotating EU Council presidency and is expected to table a compromise text within days, ahead of an October summit.

According to the letter, the six frugal nations together account for almost 40% of all member state contributions, shouldering roughly three-quarters of the total financing burden.

The letter urges a shift in spending priorities away from traditional farm subsidies and regional development and toward defence, border control and economic competitiveness.

France has separately proposed directing Google antitrust fines into the budget as a way of reducing member state contributions, adding to the pressure on Dublin's compromise text.