Romania Expresses Discontent Over EU’s Reduced Agricultural Budget for 2028–2034

Brussels – A Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegation will be in Brussels on Friday to discuss the EU budget proposal for 2028-2034, which was presented by the European Commission on Wednesday, as announced by Foreign Minister Oana Ţoiu. Romania expresses dissatisfaction over the reduction in the total budget allocated for agriculture.

“A concerning update for us is the reduction of the total budget for agriculture, and this is a topic we must address moving forward. This does not pertain specifically to the funding allocated to Romania; we have not reached that point yet. We are discussing the overall budget,” the foreign minister clarified.

The Commission’s budget proposal indicates that 300 billion euros will be allocated to farmers’ incomes for 2028-2034, a decrease from the 387 billion designated for the Common Agricultural Policy in the prior budget cycle, 2021-2027, of which 270 billion euros were provided as direct aid to farmers.

Additionally, Oana Ţoiu echoed the sentiment of MEPs advocating for greater involvement of the European Parliament in the EU’s multiannual budget discussions.

“We endorse the European Parliament’s call for increased engagement, as they are the only representatives directly elected by the citizens. Our MEPs work effectively together across party lines on matters of national interest. We recently convened with President Nicuşor Dan and the full team of MEPs to ensure a unified voice advocating for national interests. Their openness exemplifies their collaborative approach to significant issues for Romania, which we value,” stated the minister.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted on Wednesday that her proposed budget of 2 trillion euros for the EU for 2028-2034 includes a reorganization of the main EU funds, closely linking funding to the rule of law while maintaining consistent contributions from member states.

Co-rapporteurs for the EU’s long-term budget, Siegfried Mureşan (EPP, Romania) and Carla Tavares (S&D, Portugal), along with co-rapporteurs for own resources, Sandra Gomez Lopez (S&D, Spain) and Danuse Nerudova (EPP, Czech Republic), highlighted that the budget draft does not allocate enough resources for crucial priorities, putting vital programs at risk, while also threatening democratic oversight from the European Parliament.

Reaching an agreement on the new EU budget necessitates support from all 27 member states and approval from the European Parliament. (17.7.2025)