EU Commission proposes expanding budget financing as member states clash over seven-year spending plan

The European Commission has proposed increasing the EU's own resources — revenue sources beyond member-state contributions — as part of negotiations over a two-trillion-euro seven-year budget for the 27-country bloc, with discussions set to extend six months in Brussels. France supports ambitious spending and common debt mechanisms, while so-called frugal countries including the Netherlands and Austria oppose the scale of proposed expenditure. The budget battle reflects fundamental disagreement over EU fiscal integration and spending priorities, with outcomes likely to shape European economic policy through 2033.