The European Union has unveiled a controversial new budget proposal that links billions of euros in development aid for non-EU countries to their cooperation on migration control. The plan, part of the bloc’s 2028–2034 draft budget, proposes a €200 billion “Global Europe” fund that would consolidate humanitarian aid, development financing, and pre-accession support for candidate countries. However, access to much of this funding would depend on recipient nations’ willingness to assist in managing migration flows to Europe.
Under the proposal, countries that fail to cooperate—especially those unwilling to take back their nationals who are subject to deportation—could see their financial allocations cut. An EU official confirmed that while humanitarian assistance would remain untouched, the broader funding package would be conditional upon collaboration on returns and readmissions.
This move has drawn sharp criticism from European lawmakers and development experts. Barry Andrews, chair of the European Parliament’s development committee, warned that making aid contingent on migration cooperation risks undermining the EU’s credibility and development goals.
“The primary objective of development aid is poverty eradication, not securing Europe’s borders,” said Andrews. He cautioned that such transactional policies could damage partnerships in regions like Africa, where the EU is already competing with Russia and China for influence.
Andrews also noted that a previous €5 billion migration-linked fund for Africa failed to yield tangible results. While he welcomed the increase in external funding under the new budget—set to double compared to 2021–2027—he remained skeptical about its ability to address the root causes of migration.
The draft proposal is part of broader efforts by the EU to harden its migration stance amid political pressure at home. However, critics argue that using development aid as leverage could backfire diplomatically and ethically.
As debate continues in Brussels, the budget plan will face further scrutiny from member states and the European Parliament before final approval. The EU’s approach to migration and foreign aid may become a defining issue in shaping its global partnerships in the years ahead.
