German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for hundreds of billions of euros in cuts to the European Union's next multi-year budget, labeling the European Commission's proposal unacceptable during a visit to Dublin on Tuesday.
Meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Merz argued that the spending reductions are essential regardless of progress on new EU revenue streams and rejected the prospect of a new corporate tax. The Commission has proposed a budget of nearly 2 trillion euros for 2028–2034, a figure Merz called unsustainable. He also criticized plans to add 2,500 new EU staff positions.
Merz urged Ireland, which holds the rotating EU Council presidency, to present a revised, realistic budget proposal ahead of an October leaders' summit. Germany is the largest net contributor to EU finances.