References to different aspects of the MFF by EU Heads of State or Government during their Future of Europe debates in the EP 2018-19

Fourteen Heads of State or Government made a point of stressing the need to develop new policies (such as security, innovation and the digital economy); 11 also highlighted the contribution of the ‘traditional’ areas (the CAP and cohesion policy), or stressed the need for a balance between the two. Half the speakers addressed the size of the EU budget.
Four of the speakers (Leo Varadkar, António Costa, Emmanuel Macron and Pedro Sanchez) specifically expressed their readiness to contribute more to the EU budget. Three explicitly called for the EU budget to shrink after Brexit and/or remain proportional in relative terms (Mark Rutte, Charles Michel and Juha Sipilä). One quarter of Heads of State or Government addressed the creation of new own resources for the EU. Only one, Emmanuel Macron, called for all rebates to end after Brexit.