EU budget commissioner argues larger EU budget more efficient than 27 national budgets (euobserver.com)

• Serafin warns less EU spending leads to more national spending, not less overall.
• Germany demands €400 billion cut from proposed €2 trillion EU budget.
• Horizon research programme to increase from €90 bn to €175 bn.

"EU budget commissioner Piotr Serafin argued on 2 July 2026 at the Commission's annual budget conference that a larger EU budget is more cost-effective than 27 separate national budgets. He warned that less EU spending does not mean less overall spending but leads to higher national spending with duplication and fewer economies of scale. He stressed that defence, energy security, and research will have to be financed one way or another. His remarks come as Germany proposes cutting the Commission's proposed €2 trillion budget by roughly €400 billion."