Germany and five other EU member states have called for significant reductions to the European Union’s proposed budget for 2028–2034, rejecting new joint debt initiatives and prioritizing spending on security, competitiveness, and migration.

A coalition of six European Union nations, including Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, and Sweden, has urged a major reduction to the bloc’s upcoming multi-year budget. The group proposed cutting several hundred billion euros from the €2 trillion budget put forward by the European Commission for the 2028–2034 period. Their joint statement emphasizes the need for fiscal discipline amid strained public finances across member states, and insists that all areas of expenditure should contribute to savings.

The six governments expressed support for a targeted approach to EU spending, focusing resources on key areas such as security, defense, migration management, competitiveness, and sovereignty. However, they rejected any proposals involving new shared debt mechanisms, arguing that such measures are not a sustainable solution to Europe’s fiscal challenges. Instead, they called for comprehensive structural reforms and the reevaluation of existing financial commitments within the EU framework.

In addition, the group advocated linking EU funding to adherence to rule-of-law standards and common European values, a move aimed at ensuring accountability and fairness in budget allocations. They also pushed for correcting disparities in net contributions among member states and limiting administrative growth within EU institutions. The coalition hopes to conclude negotiations over the financial framework by the end of 2026, underscoring the urgent need for compromise on the future funding strategy.