The Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union will update Member States at the General Affairs Council on 14 July 2026 on its plan to advance negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034. The update follows the European Council meeting of 18-19 June, where Leaders expressed varying views on the volume of the next MFF, new own resources, and expenditure priorities. The Presidency will revise the Negotiating Box in advance of the European Council meeting on 15 October, aiming for a final agreement by end of 2026 to ensure EU funding reaches beneficiaries without interruption in January 2028.
The European Commission presented a package of MFF proposals on 16 July and 3 September 2025. The Danish and Cyprus Presidencies made progress on the revised Negotiating Box, which was presented to Leaders on 18-19 June. European Council Conclusions called on the Irish Presidency to take work forward on the Negotiating Box by the next European Council meeting, aiming for a timely agreement. An agreement before end of 2026 would allow adoption of legislative acts in 2027, ensuring uninterrupted funding from January 2028. The President of the European Council also requested the Irish Presidency to progress work on new own resources.
The Presidency's update at the General Affairs Council will outline its plan to revise the Negotiating Box by 15 October, allowing time for Leaders to reach agreement by end of 2026. The MFF negotiations involve trade-offs between Member States' preferences on budget size, revenue sources, and spending priorities. A timely agreement is critical to avoid a funding gap for EU programmes such as cohesion policy, agricultural subsidies, and research funding. The European Parliament will also need to give its consent to the MFF regulation, adding a further institutional step. The outcome will impact EU taxpayers, who may face higher contributions if new own resources are not agreed, and beneficiaries of EU funds, who rely on uninterrupted payments.