EU Summit, Day One: No Deal on Energy Prices and No Compromise on the €1,622 Billion Budget — While Enlargement Was Left for Dinner
EU leaders in Brussels on October 15 split over energy prices and the 2028–2034 budget; Costa will propose a new compromise, and a special budget summit is set for November 26.
EU leaders on the first day of the summit in Brussels, October 15, reached no agreement on new measures against high energy prices, Euronews reports. The Visegrad group, backed by Italy, wants ETS2, the carbon market for buildings and road transport, postponed, while Finland, Sweden and Denmark warned against diluting the system. The only measures with a short-term effect are state aid, and diplomats expect the postponement proposal “will never get the required unanimity.” Italy and Greece want fiscal rules relaxed, and the frugal states are against.
The debate on the 2028–2034 budget ended without a compromise. The Irish presidency’s proposal is €1,622 billion, about 16% below the European Parliament’s €1,938 billion. Merz called for significant cuts, and Sánchez called the proposal “clearly insufficient.” European Council President António Costa will take over and propose a new compromise text in the coming weeks, and a special budget summit is set for November 26. A diplomat put the odds of a deal by December at 50%. The press conference was cancelled.
Enlargement was scheduled for discussion after dinner, under the “Preparing for a wider Union” communication, and Costa’s invitation mentions only Montenegro, with the aim of closing negotiations by the end of 2026. In the sources we checked there is no mention of Macedonia and no published conclusions on enlargement. According to Euronews, Bulgarian Prime Minister Radev broke ranks and welcomed the US–Russia diesel deal, while Kaja Kallas called it a “gift to Putin.”
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 16, 2026
