Brussels – Regardless of the figures involved, the European Commission’s proposal for the EU’s next seven-year budget (MFF 2028–2034) “fails to address the several ways to
make it more accountable and transparent to citizens.” This is the finding of the European Court of Auditors, in a report dedicated to the next financial policy instrument currently under negotiation. The special report is an indictment of the EU executive, which is held responsible for deliberately putting forward a proposal that falls short in terms of controls.
Specifically, the Court of Auditors points out that as early as June 2025, with a specific report, the von der Leyen Commission had been called upon to propose a new version of the multiannual budget which “must not come at the expense of accountability.” However, this has not been the case. “As EU decision-makers negotiate the final form and scale of the 2028–2034 budget, the Court warns that the proposals fail to address significant concerns already raised in the past. Concerns remain particularly strong
about financing not linked to costs.”
To put it another way, when it comes to the European Union’s multiannual budget, “we need a budget that clearly shows what the EU has to offer, ensures the money is managed effectively, and strengthens accountability and transparency”, emphasises Jan Gregor, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the analysis report. His point highlights two things: firstly, that this effective management is lacking in the proposal currently under negotiation; and secondly, that the von der Leyen team is, in essence, pressing ahead regardless of the observations made by the auditors in Luxembourg.
https://www.eunews.it/en/2026/02/24/eu-court-of-auditors-criticizes-the-2028-2034-budget-risks-to-sound-financial-management//
Among the issues identified by the European Court of Auditors is the fact that “the Commission’s proposals did not seize the opportunity to provide a definition of the
concept of EU added value to achieve a more focused budget with greater impact.” Furthermore, the proposed performance framework “continues to prioritise output indicators, without sufficient outcome and impact indicators.”
Furthermore, the report continues, with regard to financing not linked to costs, the new spending model follows that of the EU’s post-COVID-19 recovery fund, “leaving important methodological gaps.” Specifically, “the emphasis continues to be placed on progress in implementation rather than on results”. In short, a bureaucratic approach. As for the conditions for payment, these “should be clear and include compliance with EU and national legislation.” Furthermore, the funding “should be fully traceable.”
The criticism coming from Luxembourg is not over yet, as it also addresses one of the key elements of the reform of the 2028–2034 MFF, namely the single national plan. As regards the annual coordination of Member States’ economic policies, the European Court of Auditors states that “bringing programming together under a single plan for each member state may give regions less say over decisions,” a concern also raised by the European Committee of the Regions and the regions themselves. Furthermore, “ there is also insufficient clarity about how reforms are assessed and resources are allocated to them.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
