In June 2018, the European Commission tabled an ambitious new EU budget characterised by reform, tough choices, new aspirations and a budget where the 27 member states would increase relative spending so as to compensate for the anticipated withdrawal of the United Kingdom.
Good progress has been made during the past months in formulating the legal framework to govern the use of the budget under its various headings, ranging from research to the Union’s structural funds. However, the negotiations of the overall budget have been characterised by shadow boxing and limited concrete progress. This has to change rapidly during the coming months, including under the German Presidency of the EU during the second half of 2020, with the end of December 2020 as the absolute deadline for reaching an agreement.
Against this backdrop, the European Council on Foreign Relations, the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) and the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG) jointly organised an event in Berlin on 20 November 2019. Held under the Chatham House rules, this event brought together a small group of policy-makers, researchers and civil society representatives – both from within and beyond Germany. The overall challenges and opportunities of the EU budget negotiations, and the specific challenges for ensuring a well-funded and effective foreign and development policy were considered.
The German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) is has been working on the politics of the European Union for many years. In our website special „Europe’s role in a changing world“ you will find an overview of our work.