COMMISSION UNVEILS €193 BILLION EU BUDGET FOR 2026

On 4 June, the European Commission has put forward its draft EU annual budget for 2026, amounting to €193.26 billion in commitments, complemented by €105.32 billion from NextGenerationEU. Building on the mid-term review of the EU’s 2021–2027 long-term budget, the proposal aims to address ongoing global and regional challenges, such as the energy crisis and rising geopolitical tensions.

The 2026 draft budget aligns with the new Commission priorities by allocating funds to key flagship initiatives, including the Competitiveness Compass, the Clean Industrial Deal, the Union of Skills, and the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy. It also introduces simplification measures through new Omnibus proposals, aiming to streamline EU funding and implementation processes.

BACKGROUND

The draft EU budget for 2026 includes both the expenditure covered by the long-term budget ceilings, financed through the EU’s own resources, and additional spending under the NextGenerationEU instrument, which is financed through borrowing on the capital markets.

For the core EU budget, two figures are presented for each programme: commitments and payments. Commitments represent the amounts that can be legally agreed upon in contracts during the year, while payments refer to the actual disbursements made within the same period. All figures are expressed in current prices.

NEXT STEPS

The European Parliament and the Council must formally adopt the 2026 budget before year-end.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Below is an overview of the main budget priorities and the amounts allocated to each:

• Agriculture and Fisheries: €54.6 billion

€53.8 billion – Common Agricultural Policy

€0.8 billion – European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund

• Regional Development and Cohesion: €42.09 billion
• Social Cohesion and Employment: €14.51 billion (through the European Social Fund Plus)
• External Action and Global Partnerships: €15.51 billion

€10.11 billion – NDICI – Global Europe

€2.20 billion – Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III)

€0.50 billion – Growth Facility for the Western Balkans

€1.93 billion – Humanitarian Aid (HUMA)

• Ukraine Support: €10.59 billion

€3.89 billion – Grants under the Ukraine Facility

€6.70 billion – Loans

• Research and Innovation: €14.12 billion

€12.97 billion – Horizon Europe (Includes funding for the European Chips Act)

• Strategic Investments: €4.59 billion

€3.02 billion – Connecting Europe Facility (cross-border infrastructure)

€1.00 billion – Digital Europe Programme

€299 million – InvestEU

• European Space Programme: €2.33 billion
• Resilience and EU Values: €15.13 billion

€4.3 billion – Erasmus+

€396 million – Support for artists and creators

€332.6 million – To promote Justice, rights, and values

• Environment and Climate Action: €2.18 billion

€802.9 million – LIFE programme (climate action)

€1.26 billion – Just Transition Fund

• Border Protection: €2.69 billion

€1.2 billion – Integrated Border Management Fund (IBMF)

€1.13 billion – Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency)

• Migration: €2.32 billion

€2.08 billion – Support for migrants and asylum seekers

• Defence: €1.99 billion

€1.0 billion – European Defence Fund (EDF)

€251.3 million – Military Mobility

• Single Market Functioning: €1.02 billion

€622 million – Single Market Programme

€207 million – Anti-fraud, taxation, and custom

LINKS FOR MORE INFO

2026 annual budget to fund EU priorities addressing global challenges: link

EU budget 2026: Providing crucial funding for EU priorities in times of global volatility: link

Questions and Answers about the Draft Annual Budget 2026: link

Grimaldi Alliance (GA), the international law and tax firm with 12 offices across Italy and a direct presence in New York, Lugano, Brussels, London, and Paris – supported by a network of professionals operating in over 70 jurisdictions and led by Managing Partner Francesco Sciaudone - is further strengthening its presence in Switzerland through the addition of the law firm Germann Avocats.

Founded in Geneva in 2000, Germann Avocats is a prominent player in the Swiss legal market, boasting an experienced team that advises private clients, SMEs, start-ups, major Swiss and international companies, public institutions, and non-governmental organizations. Its areas of expertise include corporate, administrative, and contract law, data protection, unfair competition, public procurement, migration law, intellectual property, M&A transactions, as well as litigation and mediation.

“With the addition of Germann Avocats, we aim to consolidate GA’s presence in Switzerland, now extending beyond Lugano to include Geneva and Zurich, in both legal and tax matters. Together with Christophe Germann and his team – and our Gianvirgilio Cugini in Lugano – our goal is to provide comprehensive full-service support for the Swiss market, in Lugano, Zurich, and Geneva, in Italian, French, and German,” said Francesco Sciaudone, Managing Partner of GA.

The legal profession is becoming increasingly international, and Italy is no exception. The growth and presence of international law firms in our country is proof of that. Grimaldi Alliance represents a unique and multifaceted reality, deeply rooted in the local territory with 14 offices in Italy, as well as in Brussels, London, Paris, Lugano, and New York. This approach enables partnerships around the world in line with shared working methods and remuneration standards.

An integrated network, a form of “global alliance” that allows operations in over 100 jurisdictions globally, involving around 2,600 affiliated professionals.
"Through the Alliance, we manage over 200 new cross-border operations every month. Grimaldi Alliance is a global law firm with deep European roots, combining a strong legal tradition with an extensive international presence," explains Francesco Sciaudone, Global Managing Partner.
"Founded on principles of excellence, integrity, and innovation, we deliver legal services that integrate local expertise with a global perspective. From 2023 to 2025, our presence nearly doubled, growing from 58 to 112 countries—a remarkable 93% increase that strengthens our positioning as a leading international legal network."

Grimaldi is also deeply rooted in Italy, where it has opened 5 new offices since 2024, continuing its expansion at the national level.
“These are strategic steps,” Sciaudone adds, “in line with our growth vision, aimed at providing increasingly specialized and widespread legal and tax support in the main economic hubs. Our team includes a wide range of legal experts, such as former judges, distinguished university professors, prominent members of the Superior Council of the Judiciary School, and leading professionals in the financial and industrial sectors.”

Grimaldi Alliance's hybrid nature is further confirmed by being the only Italian law firm nominated as a finalist at the prestigious The Lawyer European Awards 2024, in both the Italy and Global Network categories.

While Europe remains the operational base—with a presence in over 25 jurisdictions on the continent—the international network continues to expand in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, offering top-tier legal support in key markets such as Armenia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Uzbekistan.
“The Middle East is also becoming increasingly important for us,” says the Managing Partner. “We are in the process of obtaining a direct license to operate in the UAE, in Dubai. We are also present in South and Central America, operating in 17 countries where we position ourselves as a trusted legal partner for companies and investors navigating one of the world’s most dynamic and fast-evolving regions. Our expertise spans key sectors such as energy, infrastructure, corporate transactions, and real estate.”

The international law firm represents a hybrid model that is becoming a reference point: with 14 offices across Italy, it operates in 100 jurisdictions worldwide, thanks to a team of 2,600 professionals. Africa is the continent of the future.
by ISIDORO TROVATO

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