Views on the Commission’s Draft EU Budget: Excessively Ambitious or Overly Timid?

The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the post-2013 period is one of the most sensitive topics presently under discussion in the European Union. Budget negotiations are always complex and divisive for the parties concerned, but an additional factor in the current round is the impact of the euro crisis, which is evident throughout the process. The reactions to the European Commission’s proposal are mixed, with some finding it excessively ambitious and others finding it lacking in reform. This paper analyses the Commission proposal on the MFF and its reception by the member states. It argues that the Commission has put forward a well balanced proposal, which leaves enough room for reform. In the end, however, the outcome of the negotiations will strongly depend on the member states.