This idea was proposed by Spain and now has the negative vote of Berlin, which also opposes extending the recovery fund, since it is an instrument it described as extraordinary and temporary.

The new government led by Friedrich Merz outlined its position on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) in a document that arrives just a month before the European Commission (EC) presents its proposal for the accounts covering the period 2028-2034.

The document makes this position clear in its opening lines, which also recall that the next European budget will have to address the first maturities of the Covid debt (starting in 2028).

In general, Berlin shares Brussels’ priority of reforming the budget to simplify it, provide greater flexibility, and reduce the administrative burden.

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