President Nikos Christodoulides has called for the EU to consider a shorter budget cycle of three or four years instead of its traditional seven-year framework, arguing that global crises make long-term financial planning increasingly difficult.
Speaking to POLITICO on the sidelines of Thursday’s EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, Christodoulides questioned whether member states could reliably determine their priorities so far in advance.
“We’re discussing the budget in 2034 and now we’re in 2026,” he said, suggesting that a shorter timeframe might be easier for some member states to accept.
“Why not open the political discussion?” he added.
Global crises complicate long-term planning
Christodoulides pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine as examples of events that can rapidly change the EU’s priorities.
“You don’t know what’s going to be the situation in 2030, 2031,” he said, arguing that it was not possible to establish all spending priorities years in advance.
The EU’s multiannual budget is worth approximately €2 trillion and requires the agreement of all 27 member states.
Negotiations are divided between countries seeking to limit spending and those defending funding for agriculture and regional development.
The so-called “frugal” countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, favour a smaller budget. Meanwhile, the informal group known as the Friends of Cohesion, comprising 17 countries, opposes major cuts to traditional EU policies and regional funding.
EU law allows the multiannual financial framework to cover a period of at least five years. However, every framework adopted since 1993 has covered seven years.
An EU official familiar with the negotiations described the idea of a shorter budget cycle as “weird”, according to POLITICO.
Cyprus president expects double-digit budget cuts
Christodoulides also predicted that the next EU budget could be reduced by around 10% to 11% compared with the European Commission’s proposal.
“I think we may end up on 10% or 11%,” he said. “Double digits.”
His comments came after the Irish government proposed an 8% reduction compared with the Commission’s plan the previous week.
The potential cuts are expected to be a key point of contention as member states negotiate the bloc’s spending priorities.
Spain elections could delay agreement
The president also warned that the chances of reaching a political agreement on the budget by the end of 2026 were diminishing.
He cited the political situation in Spain and the country’s November elections as factors that could complicate efforts to secure consensus.
“Everybody used to understand that we need to finish … a political agreement by the end of the year,” Christodoulides said, adding that the elections made this outcome less likely.
The negotiations will determine the EU’s long-term spending priorities, including funding for agriculture, regional development and other shared policies.
With information from POLITICO and CNA
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