Plenković, Costa discuss EU’s next long-term budget in Zagreb

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met in Zagreb on Wednesday with European Council President António Costa, who is touring EU member states ahead of negotiations on the bloc’s next long-term budget.

Under the latest compromise proposal, the 2028–2034 budget would amount to around 1.73 trillion euros, with more funding directed toward defense and other new European priorities. Croatia, a member of the Friends of Cohesion Group, is calling for cohesion and agricultural funding to be protected.

“Croatia—the newest member of the EU and a country that is still trying to catch up with those members that joined the bloc before us—wants the EU’s third seven-year financial framework to serve as a lever for further development, balanced across regions, while also strengthening the competitiveness of our economy,” Plenković said.

Costa said changing circumstances require a new approach to the EU budget.

“We are operating in a fundamentally different geopolitical environment from the one we faced when we approved the budget in 2020. This new reality calls for a new approach to our budget, with a new structure and a new way of allocating our resources,” Costa said.

“We all know that agreement will not be simple. But I am reassured and encouraged by how all leaders around the table understand that we need this budget approved by the end of this year,” he added.