The Devil is in the Budget – A Comprehensive Guide to the MFF Negotiations

The EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will be negotiated under intense pressure: a tight budget, expanding demands for spending and growing disagreement over the Union’s priorities. This guide explains how the MFF works, clarifies the mechanics of EU budget negotiations, and identifies five key battles that will shape the outcome – budget size, policy priorities, structure and governance, conditionality, and revenue. The stakes are high. These negotiations will reveal whether the EU can agree on a budget that aligns with its ambitions for a free, secure and competitive Europe – or whether it will once again become mired in familiar disputes over net balances and sectoral red lines.