Austrian Chancellor Stocker considers vetoing EU budget — Der Spiegel

In Brussels, Belgium, Austria has raised the possibility of vetoing the European Union's new long-term budget for 2028–2034. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said that the current proposal is unacceptable for his country, while a decision on the multiannual financial framework requires unanimous support from all member states.

Austria's conditions

As Der Spiegel reports, Stocker told Die Welt newspaper that there is a limit for Austria beyond which he will not agree to the budget. He did not specify the exact parameters of this limit, explaining that this was a negotiating tactic. According to the chancellor, a compromise is possible only with a realistic new proposal.

Separately, Stocker criticized the European Commission's request to create 2,500 additional civil service posts. He called the demand inappropriate and detached from reality, instead urging staff cuts in Brussels. The chancellor noted that Austria is cutting 2,600 administrative posts and increasingly using artificial intelligence.

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Dispute over the budget amount

The European Commission has proposed a total budget of €1.985 trillion for the next seven years. The so-called frugal countries, including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and Denmark, oppose it. A compromise proposal by the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU envisages an amount lower by approximately €160 billion.

European Council President António Costa aims to conclude the negotiations this year. At the same time, no agreement was reached at the latest EU summit, which took place ten days ago.