Portugal has secured a national allocation of €35.1 billion in the European Union's multiannual budget proposal for 2028-2034, presented Friday by Ireland's rotating EU Council presidency. The allocation represents an increase of approximately €1.6 billion compared to the European Commission's earlier proposal, achieved through reinforced cohesion funding.
Portuguese diplomatic sources told the Lusa news agency that the Irish proposal "safeguards one of Portugal's central aspirations in this negotiation, which is the consideration of cohesion, ensuring that the national envelope remains balanced compared to other member states, which was not the case at the beginning of the negotiation."
Despite securing the €35.1 billion allocation at current prices, Portugal is demanding an additional €900 million minimum designated for its outermost regions, specifically the Azores and Madeira. Portuguese authorities have made this supplementary funding a priority in ongoing budget negotiations.
The Irish presidency's overall budget proposal involves an 8 percent reduction from the European Commission's initial multiannual budget framework, bringing the total EU budget to €1.62 trillion for the 2028-2034 period.
The allocation to Portugal reflects negotiations over cohesion policy funding, a key component of EU budget discussions. Portuguese officials indicated that the current proposal maintains equilibrium in Portugal's funding envelope relative to other member states, addressing concerns raised earlier in the negotiation process when the balance was considered unfavorable.
The multiannual financial framework negotiations involve all 27 EU member states and typically require consensus before final adoption. The Irish presidency's proposal serves as a basis for continued discussions among member states as they work toward agreement on the bloc's spending priorities for the seven-year period beginning in 2028.