A coalition of sixteen European Union member states has formally requested increased funding for agriculture, fisheries, and regional development in the bloc's next long-term budget, covering 2028–2034. The document, obtained by European Pulse, was signed by Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia.
The group, calling itself the "Friends of Cohesion," argues that the European Commission's current proposal would reduce allocations for the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), and Cohesion Policy—programs they describe as "the most visible EU policies for EU citizens." These three areas currently account for about 60 percent of the overall EU budget, but under the Commission's plan, their share would drop to roughly 44 percent.
Heading 1 Under Pressure
The signatories specifically target Heading 1 of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which covers economic, social, and territorial cohesion, as well as agriculture, rural development, and maritime prosperity. This heading currently represents 53.7 percent of the total budget and also includes repayment of loans from the Next Generation EU recovery fund, the bloc's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A full 81.5 percent of Heading 1 is allocated to national and regional partnership plans.
"Cohesion Policy, CAP, and the CFP are the only policies facing reductions in real terms, despite the overall increase in the size of the new MFF," the document states. "These policies significantly contribute to the key EU objectives and their Treaty-based objectives remain fully relevant." The group calls for an increase in member state allocations under Heading 1 to preserve these treaty-mandated priorities.
The push comes as the Commission proposes giving member states more discretion over how regional and agricultural funds are distributed, a move that some see as a step toward greater flexibility but others fear could dilute EU-level oversight.
North-South Divide Widens
Not all EU capitals share the Friends of Cohesion's enthusiasm. Frugal member states, led by Denmark and Germany, have signaled resistance to expanding traditional spending areas. Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre told reporters on Tuesday, "We cannot continue spending more and more on traditional areas," referring specifically to agriculture and cohesion. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has repeatedly opposed issuing new common EU debt, even if it were used to repay the Next Generation EU fund.
This tension echoes earlier disputes over EU budget priorities, as highlighted in Spain’s EU Fund Dispute Stirs North-South Tensions Ahead of Budget Talks. The Friends of Cohesion group, which includes many southern and eastern member states, argues that reducing support for these policies would undermine economic convergence and rural livelihoods across the continent.
The debate also intersects with broader discussions about EU fiscal reform. The signatories are calling for a renewed debate on "own resources"—the EU's independent revenue sources—and for repaying Recovery Fund loans through new common debt, a proposal that Germany's Merz has strongly rejected. This mirrors concerns raised in Five EU States Resist Brussels' Centralized Grid Plans, Push Regional Approach, where regional autonomy clashes with centralized EU strategies.
As negotiations over the 2028–2034 MFF intensify, the Friends of Cohesion are likely to face stiff opposition from net contributor countries. The outcome will shape not only the future of European agriculture and fisheries but also the broader balance of power between Brussels and member states. For now, the coalition is betting that the visibility of these policies among EU citizens will give them leverage in the coming months.
