On the guidelines for the 2026 budget – Section III
AFET-PA-766942
Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Michael Gahler
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The Committee on Foreign Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgets to incorporate its views into the 2026 budget resolution, covering funding for Ukraine, neighbourhoods, enlargement, and EU external action.¶ It welcomes the 2024 MFF revision and the Ukraine Facility, but says funding is insufficient and urges more for crisis regions, Ukraine, and using frozen Russian assets for reconstruction.¶ It asks to keep funding for the Southern Neighbourhood, support humanitarian aid in Gaza, Lebanon, and possibly Syria, and welcomes new facilities for the Western Balkans and Moldova.¶¶ It calls for doubling funds for civil society and media in enlargement countries, a new pre-accession instrument, and adequate resources for the EEAS and delegations, without applying the 2% logic.¶
Committee position. The Committee on Foreign Affairs proposes that the Committee on Budgets incorporate these views into its motion for a resolution on the 2026 budget.¶
Key points
- Welcomes the 2024 MFF revision and the EUR 50 billion Ukraine Facility, but says it fell short of Parliament's needs and urges increased funding for crisis regions.¶
- Calls for continued efforts to finance Ukraine's immediate needs and to use frozen Russian assets for reconstruction and reparations, in line with EU and international law.
- Underlines the need to maintain adequate funding for the Southern Neighbourhood in 2025 and to provide humanitarian aid in Gaza, Lebanon, and possibly Syria.¶
- Welcomes the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans and the proposed Facility for Moldova, and calls for strict application of conditionalities.¶
- Calls for at least doubling funds for civil society and media in enlargement countries, and for a new pre-accession instrument covering all 10 enlargement countries.
- Calls for adequate financial and human resources for the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations and the EEAS to promote EU values.¶
- Highlights the need to maintain the network of EU delegations and provide commensurate financing, and asks the Commission and Council not to apply the 2% logic to the EEAS.
Who is affected
- Ukraine and crisis-affected regions: need for continued funding and use of frozen Russian assets.¶
- Southern Neighbourhood countries: need for maintained funding and humanitarian aid in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria.¶
- Western Balkans and Moldova: benefit from new facilities, but must meet conditionalities.¶
- Civil society and media in enlargement countries: funds should be at least doubled.
- EEAS and EU delegations: need adequate resources and exemption from 2% logic.¶