Non-attached MEP Alvise Pérez has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission challenging the priorities of the 2027 EU draft budget, arguing that administrative spending far outweighs allocations for security, defence, and border management. The question, filed on 12 June 2026, targets the Commission's proposed EUR 199.9 billion in commitments and EUR 212 billion in payments, which Pérez describes as lacking value-for-money controls and disproportionately favouring the EU's own bureaucracy.
Pérez specifically highlights that the European public administration is allocated EUR 13.659 billion — more than four times the EUR 3.066 billion earmarked for security and defence, and greater than the combined budgets for migration management and defence. He argues that at a time when European households and businesses face inflation, housing costs, and weak competitiveness, the EU cannot justify expanding administrative costs without strict audits while core priorities remain underfunded.
first, that the Commission explain why administration receives over four times the defence budget; second, that it publish a detailed value-for-money assessment of administrative and subsidy programmes in the draft budget; and third, that it identify specific budget lines that could be reduced to free up funds for competitiveness, border control, defence, and tax relief for citizens.
As a written parliamentary question under Rule 144, the Commission is expected to respond within approximately six weeks. The reply will signal whether the executive is open to revisiting its spending priorities or will defend the current allocation as necessary for EU functioning. The question reflects a recurring cleavage between those who see EU administrative spending as essential for policy delivery and those who view it as bloated and out of step with citizens' immediate economic pressures.