In June 2018, the Commission tabled an ambitious new EU budget characterised by reform, tough choices, new aspirations and a budget where the 27 member states would increase relative spending so as to compensate for the anticipated withdrawal of the United Kingdom.

Good progress has been made during the past months in formulating the legal framework to govern the use of the budget under its various headings, ranging from research to the Union's structural funds. However, the negotiations of the overall budget have been characterised by shadow boxing and limited concrete progress. This has to change rapidly during the coming months, including under the German Presidency of the EU during the second half of 2020, with the end of December 2020 as the absolute deadline for reaching an agreement.

Against this backdrop, the European Council on Foreign Relations, the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) and the European Think Tanks Group  jointly organised an event in Berlin on Wednesday 20 November. Held under the Chatham House rule, we will brought together a small group of policy makers, researchers and civil society representatives - both from within and beyond Germany. Our aim was to consider the overall challenges and opportunities of the EU budget negotiations, and the specific challenges for ensuring a well funded and effective foreign and development policy.

Informal lunch
Introductory words and overview

• Christine Hackenesch, DIE

Negotiating the EU Budget - current state of affairs and implications for financing EU external action

• Thomas Ossowski, Special Representative for the Negotiations of the EU Multiannual Financial Framework, Federal Foreign Office
• Andreas Schwarz, Director Revenue and Multiannual Financial Framework, Budget, European Commission

Prospects and challenges for financing the EU’s role as a global actor under the next MFF
Closing remarks by Susi Dennison, ECFR