Game closed on 2025 EU budget, about €200 billion planned

Brussels – A €199.4 billion budget, 10 billion more than in 2024. The European Parliament puts an end to the discussions on the EU budget for next year: the game ends with the overwhelming yes of the Strasbourg Chamber—418 votes in favour, 185 against and 67 abstentions—and with Roberta Metsola signing the financial document at the hemicycle. “Signed, sealed, delivered,” exulted the EU Parliament President.

The complicated agreement with member states, which came on Saturday, Nov. 16, marks a victory for the European Parliament, which “succeeded in defending an ambitious budget” for 2025. As denounced by the Democratic Party’s head of delegation in Brussels, Nicola Zingaretti, most governments were pushing to “cut the budget by about a billion and a half.” In the end, the EU Parliament’s negotiating team brokered a deal with the Council—based on what was approved in October—and actually obtained €230.7 million more than the Commission’s initial draft, focusing on key initiatives such as research, health, education, young farmers, coordination of social security schemes, crisis response for natural disasters, climate action, humanitarian aid, military mobility, and border management.

Signed. Sealed. Delivered.

We have an EU budget for 2025.

One that responds to people’s concerns and priorities.

A flexible budget that invests in a competitive, safe and prosperous Europe.

And that prepares our continent for ongoing and future crises. pic.twitter.com/NSu5ZuLJaU

– Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) November 27, 2024

Besides this additional funding, the 2025 budget will benefit from important increases from previous savings, including €422 million for Erasmus+ funds for student and professional mobility and €20 million for the Horizon Europe research program (for the latter, the total comes to 12.7 billion). “Little big signals that confirm that it is important to be in the European Parliament and do so with clear ideas and a desire for change,” Zingaretti claimed again. Among the Italians, the Lega, 5-Star Movement, and Green and Left Alliance delegations have opposed it.

In general, substantial portions of next year’s joint budget—inscribed within the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027—are earmarked for agriculture and cohesion policies (about 54 and 49 billion, respectively). Then, there are guarantees for more than €4 billion to support Ukraine, €13.5 billion for research and innovation, and €16 billion for international cooperation programs. €4.8 billion will be allocated for migration and border management.

The total budget for 2025 is €199.4 billion in commitments, while payments are set at €155.21 billion. “A flexible budget that invests in a competitive, secure, and prosperous Europe. This prepares our continent for current and future crises,” is Roberta Metsola’s assessment.