Leaders of the Netherlands, Germany, and four other countries have issued an ultimatum to the EU over the budget, demanding cuts of hundreds of billions in spending.
Threatening to withhold support for the upcoming seven-year budget, the group set out its demands in a letter seen by the Financial Times.
The budget "must be fundamentally reformed. We need to make choices," the newspaper quotes from the letter by the six leaders, who would prefer to focus more on defence and innovative companies instead.
"Unless hundreds of billions are cut from the budget, there will be no agreement this year," a diplomat from one of the countries stated to the FT.
EU leaders' chair, Antonio Costa, has said he aims to reach an agreement by the end of the year. Ireland, the country that is currently holding the EU Presidency, stated last week that "most countries" still support this. The Irish will present a new so-called negotiation box for the multiannual financial framework in October, to be discussed at an EU summit that same month.
In addition to the Netherlands and Germany, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Austria have also signed the letter. Ultimately, all member states must agree on the budget.
