Editorial Board

The European Union Needs a Much Bigger Budget

The bloc’s fiscal firepower is woefully inadequate for the challenges it faces.

Not cheap.

Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg

The leaders of the European Union have a lot to accomplish in the next five years: Restore economic dynamism, slash carbon emissions, transform energy and digital infrastructure, establish a credible defense capability, and fend off whatever unexpected shocks come along.

To have any chance of success, the EU will need a budget commensurate to the task.