Opinion on the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 - all sections

10.9.2025

Mr Johan Van Overtveldt

Chair

Committee on Budgets

Subject: Opinion on the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 - all sections (2025/0210(BUD))

Dear Mr Van Overtveldt,

Under the procedure referred to above, the Committee on Foreign Affairs has been asked to submit an opinion to your committee. At its meeting of 24 June 2025, the committee's Coordinators decided to send the opinion in the form of a letter. The committee considered the matter at its meeting of 4 September 2025 and adopted the opinion at that meeting.

I would be most grateful if you would incorporate the attached AFET opinion appropriately into your motion for a resolution.

Yours sincerely,

David McAllister

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Foreign Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

A. whereas the EU budget represents a critical instrument for strengthening the European Union’s global role and advancing its foreign policy objectives;

B. whereas the international landscape grows increasingly complex, marked by geopolitical tensions, strategic competition and global challenges;

C. whereas the rise of unprecedented challenges in the immediate European neighbourhood increases the demands on the Union to act with a budget fit for that purpose;

D. whereas the cuts in global foreign assistance from the United States and other countries cannot be entirely compensated by the European Union within the framework set by the multiannual financial framework (MFF), but offers an opportunity for the EU to play a stronger global role;

1. Welcomes the fact that the MFF revision in 2024 provided for additional funding under Heading 6 and for the EUR 50 billion Ukraine Facility; deplores, however, the fact that the MFF revision fell short of the needs identified by Parliament and that as a consequence various budget lines under Heading 6 see considerable decreases in the draft budget as compared to the budget 2025;

2. Underlines in particular the need to increase the financing of the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods, given their proximity and geostrategic importance; believes that the budget nomenclature should include a specific budget line for the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova in order to increase the transparency of the budget and improve parliamentary oversight;

3. Notes with serious concern the current situation in the Middle East and calls for increased financial resources, especially for all UN humanitarian agencies given their vital role in delivering humanitarian aid and essential services; furthermore, calls for a maximum of flexibility in supporting the region in 2026, given that the volatile situation on the ground makes normal financial programming very difficult;

4. Calls for increasing the EU’s financial support to strengthening humanitarian and economic assistance in Syria, with support programmes addressing infrastructure reconstruction, accountability mechanisms, reinforcing the space for civil society and social stability in the country;

5. Calls to develop an EU Facility for the reconstruction of Gaza, that involves international and regional stakeholders in its financing and implementation, in order to contribute to the development of a long-term stability and security in the region;

6. Highlights the need to increase funding for human rights and democracy actions under NDICI given the discontinuation of USAID funds supporting such actions and therefore increases the budget lines for election observation missions and fundamental rights and freedoms;

7. Highlights the need to strengthen funding for civil society organisations and human rights defenders as well as women’s rights organisations, particularly those involved in conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts;

8. Considers that, in order to foster economic security in a moment of rapid technological advancements and geopolitical competition, the EU needs to allocate the necessary resources to enhance its digital diplomacy;

9. Calls for increased funding for the EU Election Observation Missions (EOMs) in EU candidate countries and for reinforcing EOMs’ IT instruments;

10. Underlines that important needs going beyond what can be achieved in the 2026 annual budget procedure have to be addressed urgently in the framework of the upcoming negotiations on the next MFF such as addressing the reconstruction of Gaza and Syria and addressing Africa’s infrastructure financing gap;

11. Notes with concern the financial situation of the European External Action Service (EEAS) which has been structurally underfunded for years, and is deeply concerned by the serious negative consequences for the EU’s external action; notes that the requirements for an institution with 145 diplomatic missions and offices around the world is fundamentally different to institutions operating at a single location and should therefore not be treated like the other institutions regarding its administrative budget; increases therefore the EEAS budget for 2026; believes that in the next MFF the EEAS must also have a substantially higher budget in order to ensure an impactful presence around the world.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.