BRUSSELS – President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen presented today the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) of the EU from 2028 to 2034, stressing that it would be revised if new countries join the EU during that period.
Von der Leyen addressed the media after the Commission adopted the proposal for the next MFF: the budget for 2028-2034. The proposal will need to be adopted by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament.
According to von der Leyen, this budget is worth 2 trillion Euros, 200 billion of which would be dedicated to “Global Europe”, an instrument for financing the EU’s external commitments. Within this instrument, there will also be resources for EU candidate countries.
“Let me shed a word on enlargement. Enlargement is a key priority; it is not only a political objective, it is a strategic investment into Europe’s stability and prosperity. That is why we are opening the full toolbox of Global Europe to candidate countries, not only technical assistance but support for reforms and investments backed by resources”, von der Leyen said.
On top of this, she added, the EU is setting aside 100 billion Euros for Ukraine, to fill up again the Ukraine Facility to support the country’s recovery, resilience and its path to EU membership.
“Now, for accession itself. It is, as it always was, with all accessions in the past, there is a specific revision clause in the MFF which says that if there is an accession of a candidate country, there will be a revision of the MFF”, von der Leyen said.
She added that this was logical, because the EU would have to negotiate, depending on what size of the country that joins the EU, in the accession treaty, the phase-in of the cohesion payment, the phase-in of the agriculture payment, but also the contribution of that country to the European Union.
“All this has to be negotiated and discussed, and therefore, very clear, the promise and the obligation in the financial regulation that with an accession, there will be a revision of the MFF”, von der Leyen said.
