EU Budget Fight Erupts as Elections Threaten to Blow Up Talks
European Union lawmakers have kicked off negotiations on the bloc's seven-year budget, and it's already shaping up to be a brutal fight. Elections in France, Italy, and elsewhere are making everything harder.
The European Union has begun negotiations on its seven-year budget, with lawmakers bracing for a long and difficult process [263383]. Member states are deeply divided over how the money should be spent, and upcoming elections in France, Italy, and other countries are complicating the talks further [263383].
The budget fight comes as the EU is also turning up pressure on China. The bloc's recent surprise deal with Beijing on hybrid cars was expected to ease tensions, but instead Brussels is preparing to tighten its crackdown on Chinese trade practices [262525]. European Union officials say the deal proved their threats are finally producing results, and they now believe they have found a two-track formula: keep talking, but keep pushing [262525]. Intensive dialogue with Beijing will continue, but the EU will simultaneously press ahead with efforts to counter unfair Chinese trade practices [262525].
The negotiations over the seven-year budget are expected to be lengthy, with member states holding sharply different views on spending priorities [263383]. The political calendar is adding pressure, as elections in France, Italy, and other member states loom over the discussions [263383].