The EU Budget Trap: Why Spending More Often Means Achieving Less

The proposed architecture for the 2028-34 multi-annual financial framework (MFF) promises greater efficiency, yet it mirrors the flawed mechanics of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Under the current model, the Commission consolidates power under broad, vague umbrellas, replacing rigid rules with administrative discretion. This flexibility often results in a lack of focus, where everything becomes a priority, effectively shielding national governments from real accountability.

Evidence from the final stretch of the RRF reveals a pattern of regulatory surrender. By August 2026, the Commission had actively encouraged member states to amend their plans to ensure full disbursement, treating the 31 August deadline as a hurdle to be cleared by lowering the bar. An analysis by the European Parliament Services highlights that 24 member states revised their plans, leading to 2,344 amendments. In the final three months alone, the Commission pushed through 26 proposals for modifications to accommodate national shortfalls.

Rather than enforcing rigorous standards, Brussels has prioritized the total exhaustion of national envelopes. Portugal’s seventh revision request and the Council’s approval of 17 modifications in August 2026 illustrate a system that bends to match current performance rather than incentivizing progress. If the next budget cycle follows this trajectory, the Commission will remain a body that equates success with the volume of money spent rather than the impact of the interventions delivered.