How to watch the Committee on Budgets (BUDG)

Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Broader MEP debate on ambition, taxation and NGEU

Fabienne Keller and 8 others

Shadows and other MEPs from across the spectrum confront the Commission on MFF ambition, climate and external‑action priorities, digital and sectoral levies, NGEU repayment inside or outside the ceilings, fraud recovery and administrative savings, prompting a second, more detailed Commission response on defence, revenue estimates, digital levy strategy and anti‑fraud architecture.

In this chapter

1. MFF shadows: ambition, variable deflator, NGEU outside ceilingsFabienne Keller
2. Critical MFF and own-resources perspectives from the left and rightJoão Oliveira
3. Greens and left: climate, Global Europe, digital tax pushRasmus Andresen

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Rapporteurs and own‑resources leads challenge Irish box

Siegfried Mureşan and 4 others

MFF co‑rapporteurs and own‑resources co‑rapporteurs dissect the Irish proposal, detailing cuts by heading, weakened flexibility, the deflator choice and the standstill on new revenues, and press the Commission on impact assessments, technical work and legal guarantees for agriculture, regions and the own‑resources basket.

In this chapter

1. MFF co-rapporteur Mureșan: assessment of Irish boxSiegfried Mureşan
2. MFF co-rapporteur Tavares: flexibility, deflator, narrativeCarla Tavares
3. Own resources co-rapporteurs: digital, gambling, cryptoDanuše Nerudová
4. Commission: first response on cuts, own resources, deflator, debtPiotr Serafin

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Opening and Commission presentation on MFF 2028–2034

Johan Van Overtveldt and 1 other

The Chair frames Parliament–Council tensions on MFF size and own resources, then Commissioner Serafin presents the Commission’s assessment of the Irish negotiating box, highlighting risks from cuts, reduced flexibility and lack of new revenues.

In this chapter

1. Opening: MFF 2028–2034 negotiation contextJohan Van Overtveldt
2. Commission: concerns on MFF size, flexibility, own resourcesPiotr Serafin

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Budget 2026 section 3: DEC 18–20 votes

Johan Van Overtveldt ECR

Committee proceeds to roll‑call votes on Budget 2026, section 3 (DEC 18, DEC 19 and DEC 20), adopting each decision with specified majorities and abstentions, thereby finalising this part of the budget procedure.

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Opening of voting session and EU agencies

Johan Van Overtveldt ECR

Chair resumes the meeting, tests the voting system, and conducts compromise and final roll‑call votes on the European Union Space Programme Agency, ESMA, and the European Medicines Agency, announcing adoption and detailed vote counts for each file.

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Institutional transfers and final voting session

Johan Van Overtveldt and 2 others

The committee considers and recommends approval of budget transfers for the Court of Auditors, the EESC and the Committee of the Regions, then proceeds to a voting session to adopt positions on several EU agencies’ budgets and to approve multiple DEC transfers and institutional transfer requests, formally recording majorities and abstentions before moving to internal coordinators’ business.

In this chapter

1. Institutional transfers: ECA, EESC and Committee of the RegionsJohan Van Overtveldt
2. Voting session on agencies, DEC transfers and other sectionsJohan Van Overtveldt

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Gender‑responsive budgeting hearing and Parliament’s practice

Johan Van Overtveldt and 4 others

In the framework of Gender Equality Week, experts from academia and EIGE present international and EU experiences with gender‑responsive budgeting, highlighting methods, successful policy areas and remaining gaps, after which the standing rapporteur and MEPs debate how to operationalise gender budgeting in the EU and Parliament budgets, define methodology and timelines, and reconcile objectives on beneficiaries, care, transport and labour‑market equality.

In this chapter

1. Gender Equality Week: expert hearing on gender‑responsive budgetingJohan Van Overtveldt
2. Parliament’s own gender budgeting practice and conceptual debateLucia Yar

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Opening of BUDG meeting and sectoral budgetary files

Johan Van Overtveldt and 9 others

The committee adopts its agenda and minutes, then examines several budgetary assessments: the EU–Seychelles Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement, the ENISA mandate revision under the Cybersecurity Act 2, and the ETS1 revision, focusing on their multi‑year financial envelopes, impacts on the EU budget and agencies, concerns about provisional application and legal cover, and differing political views on climate effectiveness, competitiveness and own resources.

In this chapter

1. Opening of BUDG meeting and EU–Seychelles fisheries protocolJohan Van Overtveldt
2. ENISA mandate revision and cybersecurity funding debateHélder Sousa Silva
3. ETS1 revision: budgetary impact, Modernisation Fund and own resourcesDanuše Nerudová
4. Draft Amending Budget 3 and internal Commission transfers (DEC 21–22)Andrzej Halicki

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Draft Amending Budget 3/2026, cohesion backlog and transfers DEC 18–20

Johan Van Overtveldt and 3 others

The Commission presents DAB 3/2026 and related transfers, detailing higher payment needs for cohesion and rural development, reinstated Hungary commitments, fisheries reserve cuts, a large global transfer, agency reinforcements and Heading 7 redeployments financed by fines and customs revenue, followed by MEPs’ scrutiny of backlog management, Hungary’s absorption capacity, CEF Digital under‑implementation and revenue use, and Commission replies with updated backlog estimates, implementation explanations and rationale for prioritising justified payment needs over additional GNI relief.

In this chapter

1. Commission: DAB 3/2026, cohesion backlog and Hungary commitments
2. Commission: global transfer, agencies and revenue windfallJohan Van Overtveldt
3. Benjumea/Halicki: views on DAB 3, backlog and CEF Digital delaysIsabel Benjumea Benjumea

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

MEPs–Commission Q&A on 2027 budget, Ukraine loan and administration

Nils Ušakovs and 4 others

Rapporteurs and shadows question the Commission on EURI and Ukraine support loan forecasting, use of flexibility instruments, agricultural crisis financing, EPPO staffing, and international pledges, while the Commission explains the structure of borrowing and liquidity costs, handling of salary updates, EPPO reinforcement, treatment of pledges, and clarifies how shifting a Ukraine disbursement date halves the 2027 reference volume and costs.

In this chapter

1. Rapporteur Ušakovs: questions on EURI, Ukraine loan, EPPO and pledgesNils Ušakovs
2. Other sections rapporteur statement on institutions’ budgetsJanusz Lewandowski
3. Sanchez: criticism of forecasting, admin spending and flexibility useJulien Sanchez

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Opening and introduction of 2027 budget amending letter

Johan Van Overtveldt ECR

The Chair opens the Budget Committee meeting, confirms procedural matters and introduces the 2027 general budget item, followed by the Commission’s detailed presentation of the amending letter including borrowing costs, Ukraine loan adjustments, agricultural changes and the inflation‑driven reinforcement of Heading 7 and related administrative needs.

In this chapter

1. Opening of meeting and agenda adoptionJohan Van Overtveldt
2. Commission: amending letter for EU budget 2027
3. Commission: inflation-driven salary adjustment and Heading 7

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Committee on Budgets Extraordinary meeting

Transition to voting and short suspension

Karlo Ressler and 1 other

The Chair closes the presentations, announces the start of voting on Section 3, and, following a request from Karlo Ressler to wait for absent members, briefly suspends the meeting before resuming proceedings.

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Committee on Budgets Extraordinary meeting

Other sections: institutional budgets 2027 compromise

Isabel Benjumea Benjumea PPE

On behalf of the rapporteur for other sections, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea presents the compromise on budgetary amendments for the 2027 budget for Sections 1–10 (EP, Council, CJEU, ECA, EESC, CoR, Ombudsman, EDPS, EEAS), stressing budgetary discipline, targeted increases for staffing, IT and cybersecurity, AI Act-related tasks, and security needs, amounting to roughly €26.8 million mainly as restorations of Commission cuts.

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Committee on Budgets Extraordinary meeting

General rapporteur: EP position on 2025 figures

General rapporteur Nils Ušakovs presents the provisional deal on the figures of the 2025 annual budget, detailing reinforcements by MFF heading (Horizon, CEF, Digital Europe, Erasmus+, UCPM, EU4Health, agriculture, LIFE, migration and borders, security and defence, external neighbourhoods) and agencies, totalling €1.17 billion above the draft budget, and thanks shadows ahead of the MFF debate.

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Committee on Budgets Extraordinary meeting

Opening of meeting and agenda adoption

Chair Johan Van Overtveldt opens the extraordinary Budgets Committee meeting, confirms adoption of the agenda, recalls interpretation arrangements, and outlines the objective to adopt amendments to the Council position on the 2025 draft budget, with a vote scheduled for 19:15.

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

EU budget 2027 priorities and 2026 humanitarian transfers

Nils Ušakovs and 14 others

Rapporteurs and groups outline their priorities on the constrained 2027 EU general budget, including sectoral reinforcements, reactions to Council cuts and the macroeconomic context, while the Commission presents its draft and an upcoming amending letter. The committee then examines 2026 humanitarian aid and civil protection reinforcements via the Emergency Aid Reserve and IPA redeployments, along with internal institutional transfers, seeking assurance on allocation criteria, reserve exhaustion and cost control for Parliament infrastructure.

In this chapter

1. 2027 EU general budget: rapporteurs and group prioritiesNils Ušakovs
2. 2026 humanitarian aid reinforcement and institutional transfersGiuseppe Lupo

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

EU agencies reform: ESMA and EUSPA mandates

Hélder Sousa Silva and 5 others

Members debate the budgetary opinion on the ESMA market infrastructure reform, focusing on staffing, fee structures and EU–national supervision, before turning to the new EUSPA regulation with its costs, security role, governance issues and Commission veto powers. The EUSPA Executive Director details serious delays in the Prague headquarters project and the need for a revised hosting agreement to secure long‑term operational continuity.

In this chapter

1. ESMA market infrastructure reform: budgetary opinionHélder Sousa Silva
2. EUSPA regulation, budget and headquarters obligationsHélder Sousa Silva

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Opening of sitting and EU solidarity funds

Lucia Yar and 5 others

The committee opens its sitting, adopts the agenda and examines the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund for storm damage, followed by scrutiny of the Finnish EGF application for paper‑sector redundancies and related political assessments of EU support instruments. Deadlines for amendments are set and the first part of the sitting is suspended after confirming broad backing for both solidarity files.

In this chapter

1. Opening of sitting and EUSF storms mobilisationLucia Yar
2. EGF Finland paper sector: redundancies and political reactionsLucia Yar

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Political groups’ positions on EMA resources and fees

Oliver Schenk and 3 others

Political group representatives express support or opposition to reinforcing EMA and Commission staffing, debate the limits of redeployments, scrutinise the proposed fee structure and long‑term building costs, and raise subsidiarity and national sovereignty concerns about shifting costs to taxpayers and centralising databases.

In this chapter

1. EPP shadow Schenk: support for EMA reinforcementOliver Schenk
2. S&D (for Lupo): conditional support and fee concerns
3. PfE MEP Furet: attack on EMA funding and subsidiarityAngéline Furet
4. NI MEP Geisel: questions on extra posts and EU budget costsThomas Geisel

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

EMA and medical devices reform: budget, fees and subsidiarity

Hélder Sousa Silva and 3 others

The standing rapporteur and committee shadows assess the budgetary impact of strengthening the European Medicines Agency under the MDR/IVDR revision, addressing new posts, redeployments and the balance between EU budget and fees, with broad support for better patient access but sharp criticism from PfE on increased taxpayer funding, Eudamed centralisation and use of delegated acts; members then exchange on why additional EMA posts are needed in a reform presented as simplification and on how stronger EU‑level scientific support can both speed approvals and preserve national competences.

In this chapter

1. EMA and medical devices reform: budgetary assessmentHélder Sousa Silva
2. Rapporteur Schenk and S&D shadow: support with fee concernsOliver Schenk
3. PfE criticism: EMA funding, Eudamed and subsidiarityAngéline Furet
4. Geisel’s questions and Schenk’s reply on posts and bureaucracy

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

Chair opens EMA/medical devices budget item

Janusz Lewandowski and 1 other

The Chair closes the EGF cases and opens the EMA/medical devices and IVDR file, while the rapporteur presents the budgetary impact, staffing needs, and fee–EU budget balance for the proposed mandate revision.

In this chapter

1. Chair: closure of EGF files; introduction of EMA/medical devices dossierJanusz Lewandowski
2. Rapporteur Sousa Silva: budgetary assessment for EMA mandate revisionHélder Sousa Silva

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

EGF cases and Belgian applications: political scrutiny

Angéline Furet and 2 others

Members debate three European Globalisation Adjustment Fund cases, with Furet and Geisel criticising EU policies they see as destroying jobs, questioning Belgium’s high number of applications, the eligibility of the Cora retail case and the share of funds going directly to workers versus services, while the Commission defends the regulatory basis, explains Belgian over‑representation and details the mandatory split between cash allowances and active labour measures before the Chair closes the files and announces amendment and vote deadlines.

In this chapter

1. Three EGF cases: Furet’s political critique and red lineAngéline Furet
2. EGF Belgium: Geisel questions Belgian frequency, sector fit and direct benefitsThomas Geisel
3. Commission: EGF Belgium over‑representation and aid breakdownLenka Filipkova

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

EGF cases for Finland, Spain and Belgium: presentations and group positions

Rasmus Andresen and 2 others

Rapporteurs and shadows present the Finnish Valmet Automotive, Spanish Galicia automotive and Belgian Cora retail restructuring EGF applications, detailing worker numbers, EU co‑financing levels, planned up‑/reskilling and reintegration measures, and political group views on the EGF’s complementary role, labour‑market implications and amendment and vote timetable.

In this chapter

1. EGF Finland: rapporteur presents Valmet Automotive caseRasmus Andresen
2. EGF Finland: EPP and S&D positions on worker support limitsHélder Sousa Silva
3. EGF Spain (Galicia automotive): rapporteur and EPP shadowNils Ušakovs
4. EGF Belgium (Cora retail restructuring): rapporteur and S&DHélder Sousa Silva

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Committee on Budgets Ordinary meeting

EGF mobilisations for Finland, Spain, Belgium: cases, political positions and Commission Q&A

Janusz Lewandowski and 6 others

The committee assesses three EGF applications for redundancies at Valmet Automotive (Finland), in Galicia’s automotive sector (Spain) and in Cora retail stores (Belgium), with rapporteurs and groups broadly supportive but stressing EGF’s limits versus national labour policies, while critical voices link job losses to EU policies and question Belgian over‑representation; Commission services justify eligibility criteria, clarify the effects of online retail and explain the spending split between direct allowances and active labour market measures.

In this chapter

1. EGF Finland (Valmet Automotive): case presentationJanusz Lewandowski
2. EGF Finland: political groups’ positionsJanusz Lewandowski
3. EGF Spain (Galicia automotive): case and supportNils Ušakovs

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