The European Parliament has signed off on next year's budget for the EU, which has grown by 6% since last year and sets out spending plans of close to €200 billion.
Next year's budget will include "more effective support to address challenges such as health, humanitarian aid, border management and climate action," according to a Parliament press release.
It said that MEPs secured an additional €230.7 million beyond the European Commission's draft budget proposal, focusing on key initiatives including research, health, education, young farmers, coordination of social security schemes, crisis response to natural disasters, climate action, humanitarian aid, military mobility and border management.
On top of this extra funding, "major increases" sourced from previous savings will benefit the 2025 budget, including €422 million for Erasmus+ and €20 million for Horizon Europe.
Total budget grown by €10 billion
The total spending budget for the EU for 2025 is set at €199.4 billion, which is 6% (or €10 billion) larger than this year. Unlike national budgets, this budget is primarily aimed at investment to generate growth and opportunities across the European Union.
The almost €200 billion budget is relatively small considering it serves an EU population of 450 million across 27 Member States. It is comparable to the national budget of Denmark, which serves 5.6 million people, and is about 30% smaller than the budget of Poland, for a population of 38 million.
Belgian MEP Johan Van Overtveldt (N-VA - ECR), Chair of the Committee on Budgets, said that next year's EU budget "addresses urgent challenges including Russian aggression in its war against Ukraine, ongoing migration pressures, the escalating crisis in the Middle East, the impact of natural disasters, and crucially the competitiveness of our economies."
"This will ensure the EU can respond effectively to these pressing realities," he said.
EP President Roberta Metsola signed the 2025 EU budget into law, following its adoption in the Strasbourg hemicycle. Credit: European Union, 2024
Next year's budget is also the first following the revision of the EU's long-term financial framework.
The Parliament noted that during a revision of the EU's long-term budget in February of this year, a "substantial increase" in funding was secured for key priorities such as supporting Ukraine. It said that this will be maintained in 2025's budget.
MEPs also confirmed the financing of the repayment costs for the European Recovery Instrument (EURI), which are almost twice the amount initially forecast for 2025.
The budget was signed into law by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Strasbourg on Wednesday, after being agreed with Member States on Saturday 17 November.
The 2025 budget was adopted in the European Parliament with 418 votes to 185 and 67 abstentions. The Council of the European Union already endorsed the deal on 25 November.
Elsewhere in Strasbourg on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen secured the approval of MEPs for her cabinet of 27 Commissioners, who will take office on 1 December.
