Sweden finds European Commission's $2.3T budget proposal 'too large' in volume

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Sweden's EU Affairs Minister Jessica Rosencrantz thinks that the volume of the European Commission's €2 trillion ($2.3 trillion) budget proposal is "too large."

"The volume of the budget is far too large," Rosencrantz told broadcaster SVT.

Although she welcomed the budget's increased focus on security and competitiveness, she criticized its volume, and noted that it should correspond to 1% of the EU's total gross national income (GNI) rather than to %1.26.

"If you make increases in certain areas, you must also be prepared to reprioritize in other areas," Rosencrantz said, underlining that they need "a better budget, not a bigger budget."

The European Commission unveiled a proposal Wednesday for a €2 trillion ($2.32 trillion) budget for the 2028-2034 term, with a focus on defense, strategic technology and increased competitiveness, while maintaining core funding for agriculture and regional cohesion.