The Irish Presidency’s proposal would reduce funding to Global Europe—the EU’s development cooperation, humanitarian aid, and peacebuilding instrument--by almost 16%, twice the cut to the overall long-term EU budget (8%).
The so-called ‘cushion’ which would serve as a flexible crisis reserve within Global Europe would shrink by almost a quarter (24%), weakening the EU’s ability to prevent emergencies and act early when they hit.
The IRC is calling for the EU to reverse these proposed cuts, prioritise funding for fragile and conflict-affected contexts, and protect the flexibility that the EU needs to respond to crises as they arise.
Brussels, Belgium, 13 October 2026 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that proposed cuts to the EU’s next long-term budget risk dramatically reducing support to efforts to stabilise fragile contexts, prevent humanitarian crises, and respond to them when they arise.
On Saturday, Ireland, which holds the EU Council Presidency, presented its so-called ‘negotiating box’ for the European Union’s next long-term budget (the Multiannual Financial Framework) covering 2028-2034. Ireland’s commitment to protect the €25 billion for humanitarian aid that the European Commission proposed in 2025 is welcome and essential if the EU is to keep responding to humanitarian needs worldwide. But it would cut the Commission’s proposal for Global Europe, the EU’s main development cooperation, humanitarian aid and peacebuilding instrument, by almost 16% – twice the 8% cut to the budget as a whole.
“Humanitarian aid alone can respond to a crisis, but it cannot help prevent the next one,” said Imogen Sudbery, Executive Director of IRC Belgium. “Fragile and conflict-affected states are the frontline of pandemics, climate shocks and conflict spillovers that do not stay within borders. Europe’s security and prosperity are best served by staying engaged in fragile countries, not retreating from them. Cutting this fund to spare much larger budget lines is a false economy, because the cost of walking away would far exceed anything it saves.”
Within Global Europe, the so-called ‘cushion’ which will serve as a flexible crisis reserve would shrink by almost a quarter (24%) and global funding for cross-border challenges by 24.5%, making it harder for the EU to act early on emergencies, tackle pandemics and climate change, and uphold the multilateral system.
The proposed reduction would see more than 14% cut from every regional budget envelope, regardless of their level of need. That will strip €8.7 billion from Sub-Saharan Africa (from €60.5 billion in current prices to €51.8 billion) and €6.2 billion from the Middle East and North Africa (from €42.9 billion to €36.8 billion)--nearly €15 billion between them.
The IRC’s 2026 Emergency Watchlist finds crises are converging in these regions in particular, with Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Burkina Faso all identified among the countries at greatest risk of humanitarian decline this year. In the Middle East, the list includes the occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.
Even before these cuts, aid was not reaching the places that need it most. Fragile and conflict-affected states are home to half of the world’s extreme poor, yet receive just a quarter of global aid. The IRC’s analysis shows that at least 60% of EU official development assistance (ODA) should go to these contexts. The EU’s next budget is a chance to close that gap, not widen it.
At a time when donors around the world are cutting aid budgets, sticking to the European Commission’s proposed budget for the Global Europe instrument will be essential if the EU is to deliver for the people who need it most, and for Europe's own security and prosperity.
As EU leaders meet this week at the European Council (15-16 October) to discuss the latest budget proposal and MEPs meet on 19th October in the Foreign Affairs and Development committees to vote on Parliament’s position on Global Europe, it is still possible for the EU to change this alarming direction of travel. The IRC is calling on them to:
- Reverse proposed cuts to the Global Europe instrument, or at the very least not cut its budget disproportionately to the broader MFF.
- Ensure funding is prioritised for fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
- Protect the flexibility the EU needs to respond to crises.
