Minister Heinen finds proposed EU budget ‘really too high’
THE HAGUE – “Europe is important for our prosperity, but the proposed budget is really too high,” he says in response to the committee’s proposal for a new EU multiannual budget for the period 2028-2034.
The European Commission aims for a budget of 2000 billion euros, 800 billion more than in the current period. “The discussion should not always be about how the EU can spend more, but about how the money can be spent better,” says Heinen. “For that, it is important that a more modern budget is created, in which the money that is already there is spent smarter and more effectively.”
The minister advocates for “sharp choices.” In his view, spending should focus on competitiveness, innovation, and security. According to Heinen, the Netherlands already contributes “a lot” to the EU and wants the balance between the costs and benefits of EU membership to improve.
(July 16, 2025)
