Irish Presidency cuts Horizon Europe budget by 9.6%

News Tank Academic - Brussels - News #456722 - Published on 12/10/26 at 12:08
© European Council
Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland - © European Council

The Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU has proposed a 9.6% budget cut to Horizon Europe and a 4% budget cut to Erasmus+.

Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland, presented Ireland's proposal for the member states’ position on the budget of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, the so-called "negobox", on 10/10/2026.

For Horizon, he proposed €158.187 billion (compared with the €175bn put forward by the Commission in July 2025), 39.165 bn for Erasmus (€ 40.827bn from the Commission) and €362.028bn for the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) (compared with €409.301bn from the Commission, -11,55%).

On 11/06/2026, when the Cypriot Presidency presented its 'negobox', it proposed the same 4% cut to the Erasmus+ budget (€39.165bn), as well…

© European Council
Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland - © European Council

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