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DRAFT OPINION (2024/0176(BUD))

On the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2025

AFET-PA-763021

Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Hilde Vautmans

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

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The Committee on Foreign Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgets to incorporate its views into the 2025 EU budget resolution, urging more funding for security, defence, and external action. It asks to double the budget for Common Security and Defence Policy capabilities, increase humanitarian aid, and address underfunding in neighbourhood and external action areas.

Committee position. The Committee on Foreign Affairs proposes amendments to the 2025 budget, urging doubling CSDP capability funding, increasing humanitarian aid, and addressing underfunding in external action.

Key points

  1. Calls to double the budget allocated to the development of capabilities under the Common Security and Defence Policy.
  2. Welcomes the MFF revision and new Ukraine and Western Balkans Facilities, but is concerned about redeployments in Heading 6.
  3. Notes the Commission's budget proposal of EUR 16 258 million for Heading 6 and Council's increase of EUR 30 million for humanitarian aid, but deems it insufficient.
  4. Calls for an increase of EUR 50 million for the Neighbourhood East budget line under NDICI, which is underfunded by EUR 150 million.
  5. Believes further targeted reinforcements are needed in areas like disinformation, capacity development, enlargement, election observation, nuclear safety, and civil society support.
  6. Recognises the need to increase financial support to UNRWA in 2025 due to its critical financial situation.
  7. Believes the European External Action Service is structurally underfunded and should be treated differently from other institutions in administrative budget.
  8. Strongly believes a considerable reinforcement of humanitarian aid, with clear rule of law and governance objectives, is needed.

Who is affected

  • The EU's security and defence capabilities under the Common Security and Defence Policy.
  • Ukraine and the six Western Balkans countries receiving support from new facilities.
  • Neighbourhood East countries under NDICI, needing increased funding.
  • UNRWA, which requires increased EU financial support.
  • The European External Action Service, which is underfunded.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 3,1 billion net increase in Heading 6 from MFF revision.
  • EUR 4,5 billion to be covered through redeployments within Heading 6.
  • EUR 16 258 million Commission budget proposal for Heading 6.
  • EUR 44,8 million remaining available margin in Heading 6.
  • EUR 30 million increase for humanitarian aid by the Council.
  • EUR 150 million underfunding for Neighbourhood East in NDICI.
  • EUR 50 million increase requested for the Neighbourhood East budget line.