The Danish government is not ruling out a potential increase in the EU budget, despite previously opposing such a move, according to European Minister Marie Bjerre.

Bjerre’s comments come ahead of a ministerial meeting in Brussels where the EU’s long-term budget proposal will be discussed. The EU Commission has requested the largest budget ever, citing challenges such as the war in Ukraine, high energy prices, and climate change.

While the Danish government will first focus on prioritizing the existing budget, it acknowledges the need for a stronger Europe and, consequently, a potentially stronger budget.

The proposed budget, covering 2028-2034, is expected to be a topic of lengthy and difficult negotiations. Denmark, as the EU Presidency country, will play a leading role in these initial discussions, aiming to reach an agreement on the first steps this autumn.

The EU Commission’s proposal of 2000 billion euros has already faced criticism, including from Germany. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected the commission’s plan for a corporate tax for large companies.

Bjerre emphasized that Europe faces significant challenges regarding security and competitiveness and has an operations gap with China and the USA, which are reasons for strengthening the EU’s budget. All 27 EU countries and the EU Parliament must approve the budget for it to be adopted.