Since we started discussing the UK and Germany in class, I chose an article that talks about the long-term budget of the EU and arguments after Brexit. The article notes that as Britain leaves, the European Union budget will be left with a hole of 12 billion euro that used to come from its yearly contributions.
Günther Oettinger, the commissioner for the budget, proposes that the next seven year budget be increased by at least 1.1% of GNI and a group of eight central and eastern European countries support this. However, most of the wealthier countries oppose this and advocate for sweeping budget reform that would remove the need to fill the 12 billion hole and decrease spending on agriculture payments (subsidies) and cohesion funds (boosting less wealthy countries for increased equality throughout the EU). To show how conflicted the group of 27 is, the Commission President is quoted saying "We have those [countries] who do not want to pay more, and we have those who don’t want to receive less," and he also mentions that the programs that do get funded must be productive enough to show member states that the cost is worth the benefit.
This is a really interesting article that touches on the economics behind many of the social programs the EU has promoted. I think the social pillar programs are what makes the EU so worthwhile, but it's important to remember that the union was first and foremost an economic union created to prevent another major war on the European continent.
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-summit-leaders-ignore-numbers-ahead-of-disgusting-budget-talks/
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