The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) warns that a weak long-term EU budget would undermine competitiveness, cohesion, agriculture and democracy. As negotiations on the EU’s next long-term budget continue, European organised civil society is sending a clear message through the EESC: the EU cannot afford a budget that falls short of its ambitions. ‘The EU budget must be future-proof. ‘Cutting youth and education budgets today means paying a much higher price tomorrow.’A clear message to EU decision-makersAcross all opinions, the EESC sends the same signal: the EU’s ambitions cannot be delivered on the cheap. ‘The EU budget is the bloc’s most powerful policy tool,’ said MFF rapporteur Konstantinos Diamantouros.