Dóchas has expressed shock and dismay at the proposal to cut 17% from Global Europe in today’s draft EU Budget, warning that following through would hurt millions facing severe hunger, conflict, and climate breakdown.
The draft proposal, brought forward by Ireland in its role as President of the Council of the European Union, proposes that Global Europe, the EU’s future seven-year budget for external action, will be cut by 17%. It was granted around €200 billion in the initial proposal by the European Commission.
Devastating cuts to EU external action would make no sense at a time when global turmoil is increasing: Active conflicts are at their highest number since the end of World War II, while humanitarian needs have risen dramatically, with crises becoming increasingly protracted and complex. Almost a quarter of a billion people are estimated by the UN Global Humanitarian Overview of 2026 to need humanitarian assistance. Only 36% of the targets in the Sustainable Development Goals are on track.
Dóchas CEO Jane-Ann McKenna said:
“External action funding is one of the EU’s key tools for turning its commitments into action. This includes poverty reduction, humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding, human rights and gender equality.
Cutting the Global Europe Instrument by 17% will be a devastating and short-sighted move. Globally, poverty and inequalities are rising, and climate change is intensifying. Europe’s safety, prosperity and resilience cannot be separated from the world around it. Now is the time for the EU to lead, and demonstrate global cooperation in practice – but today’s announcement, relayed by Minister Thomas Byrne, is doing the opposite. It is undermining the EU’s engagement with countries and communities who are experiencing the worst effects of conflict, food insecurity and the climate crisis.”