These areas account for almost half of the total budget and are politically sensitive because of pressure from farmers’ lobbies and regions.
In a concession to the 17 Friends of Cohesion, Ireland left the agriculture and regional budgets untouched and focused cuts on other priorities such as competitiveness, defense and development aid.
“There was a strong support for heading one [agriculture and cohesion] from almost all of the member states, including some of the countries who would be considered to be net contributors” to the budget, Byrne told reporters.
Reactions to the negobox from the Friends of Cohesion were more conciliatory than those of their frugal peers.
“It’s an excellent starting point to have recovered the money for the CAP [Common Agricultural Policy], but we’re still not satisfied,” said Italy’s Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida.
Poland’s Europe minister Ignacy Niemczycki welcomed the fact that his country “continues to receive the largest allocation,” but noted that the “change in the overall size of the budget does not match the EU’s ambitions.”
The frugals were also are disappointed that the cuts disproportionately target innovative policies such as defense and competitiveness, which they favor.
“They’re cutting the future to protect the past,” said one EU diplomat from the frugal camp.