Marina Lubimova
The proposal focuses on expanding the EU’s own sources of revenue rather than relying primarily on larger contributions from member states.
The European Commission has proposed several potential revenue streams, including:
- EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) revenues
- Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) revenues
- A levy on tobacco products
- A contribution linked to uncollected electronic waste
- A new corporate contribution known as CORE, targeting large companies with annual net turnover of at least €100 million
Together, the measures could generate approximately €58.2 billion annually, close to the €60 billion target backed by France.
Why France Wants New EU Revenue
Without additional EU-level revenue, member states could face substantially higher national contributions to finance the 2028–2034 EU budget.
France has particular reason to resist that scenario because of pressure on its domestic finances. Higher direct contributions to Brussels would make reducing the country's budget deficit more difficult.
The issue is also becoming more urgent as the EU faces higher spending requirements, including defense, industrial policy, climate programs and repayment of debt raised for the NextGenerationEU recovery fund.
The Main Obstacle
Any agreement will be politically difficult. EU governments remain divided over expanding the bloc's taxation powers, while several proposed levies could face opposition from businesses and individual member states.
Because the next seven-year EU budget requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states, France's push for roughly €60 billion in new annual EU revenue could become one of the central battles in the upcoming budget negotiations.
Marina Lubimova
