On 13 July, ambassadors of member states to the EU agreed the Council's position on the 2023 EU draft budget. In total, the Council's position for next year's budget amounts to EUR 183.95 billion in commitments and EUR 165.74 billion in payments.

Overall, the Council has taken a prudent approach given the volatile context in which the EU is operating. Member states stressed the importance of ensuring that there will be sufficient margin in the budget to face uncertainties related to the Ukrainian crisis and inflation.

In this context, the Council adjusted several of the figures proposed by the Commission on 7 June. The Commission’s proposal amounted to EUR 185.6 billion for 2023, complemented by an estimated EUR 113.9 billion in grants under NextGenerationEU. It foresees EUR 3.5 billion for Erasmus+ and EUR 12.3 billion for Horizon Europe topped by an extra EUR 1.8 billion in grants from NextGenerationEU.

The Council aims to formally adopt its position on the draft general budget for 2023 via a written procedure ending on 6 September 2022. This will then serve as a mandate for the Czech presidency to negotiate the 2023 EU budget with the European Parliament.

The European Parliament is expected to announce its official position in the autumn. Earlier in July, the Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education - CULT Committee - voted on the amendments to the 2023 budget, both on the figures and on the proposals for Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions (PPPAs).

The outcome of the vote reflects the need to further increase the Erasmus+ budget by EUR 200 million, increase the Creative Europe Programme by EUR 40 million and increase the European Solidary Corps by EUR 10 million. In addition, CULT requested financing of the New European Bauhaus initiative through appropriations made available within Horizon Europe budgetary lines. Overall, the budgetary increases adopted by CULT would aim to support students' mobility, skills development, the achievement of the European Education Area, the European Universities initiative, not-for-profit sport events and projects addressing the consequences of the war in Ukraine. CULT budgetary amendments will contribute to the European Parliament position on the draft budget for 2023.