Ireland proposes cuts to next EU budget, Germany says not enough
Ireland has proposed cutting the EU's long-term budget, with Germany and other frugal states saying the reduction still does not go far enough.
What happened
Ireland's Government presented a tightly guarded, last-minute draft proposal for the EU's next seven-year budget, carried to Brussels by Minister of State Thomas Byrne.1
The proposal involves significant cuts, reported by Politico as €159 billion, to the EU's joint budget.23
Germany said the proposed cuts are not sufficient, and other frugal countries said an end-of-year agreement is now less likely following Ireland's proposal.2
The Financial Times reported that even with the cuts, the proposal would still represent a 30 percent increase on the EU's current spending.3
Key points
What the coverage leaves out
- None of the outlets reviewed specified the exact original budget figure the cuts are measured against, beyond Politico's reference to €159 billion in cuts and FT's note of a 30 percent increase on current spending.
- None of the outlets reviewed detailed which specific budget areas or programs would be affected by the proposed cuts.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported reactions from EU institutions such as the European Commission or Parliament.
Why it matters
What to watch
- Whether EU member states can reach an end-of-year agreement on the budget.
- Further negotiations among member states, particularly reactions from frugal countries to the Irish proposal.
Sources (3)
Every outlet we drew on, grouped by where it is based. Read the originals for the full reporting.
Europe
- 1RTÉ NewsIEPublic broadcaster
- 2Politico EuropeBEPrivate
- 3Financial TimesGBPrivate
EU joint budget proposal slashed in race to find end-year agreement