Nine EU countries have urged the European Commission to abandon plans to recruit around 2,500 additional civil servants, arguing Brussels must show the same budget discipline it expects from member states, according to a report by Politico.
In a joint letter addressed to Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin and led by Austria, ministers criticised the Commission's proposal to increase administrative spending as part of negotiations over the EU's next long-term budget, known as the Multiannual Financial Framework, which will run from 2028 to 2034.
The proposed hires would cost an estimated €1.4 billion over the seven years, Politico reported, citing the letter.
"Our joint message is clear: The Commission needs to hear the sign of the times," German Minister of State Günther Krichbaum said, according to Politico. He warned that increasing staff numbers while urging national governments to cut spending was "out of touch with reality."
The letter was signed by ministers from Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands.
The ministers argued that expanding administrative spending risks undermining the Commission's credibility as it pushes member states to reform public finances and improve efficiency.
"The European Commission's credibility in asking Member States for budgetary discipline very much depends on adhering to its own principles," Austrian Minister Claudia Bauer said, according to Politico.
EU countries are currently negotiating the bloc’s next long-term budget following an initial proposal presented by the Commission in July 2025. The process involves negotiations between the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament and is expected to take several years.
The European Commission declined to comment, Politico reported.
