General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 - all sections

The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

1.Calls for the Union budget for 2026 to contribute to strengthening the functioning of the single market, supporting the transition to a digital, sustainable and carbon-neutral social market economy, to promote and protect the interests of European consumers by ensuring a high standard of protection and to remove unjustified barriers to freedom; highlights the need to strengthening and increasing the resilience of the single market, aiming at increasing EU trade flows and achieving value chains, thus contributing to economic growth; stresses that the single market is an essential element for achieving a circular, net-zero carbon and resource- and energy-efficient economy;

2.Notes that the multiple challenges facing Europe require increased investment and coordination at European level and calls on the Commission to propose a Union budget for 2026 that reflects the urgent nature of these challenges; the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, hybrid attacks on Member States and foreign interference, among others, underline the need for the single market to be resilient and ready to deal with emergencies in the internal market; calls on the European Commission to take into account, when allocating budgets, the elimination of the effects of the war in Ukraine on Member States, especially those with a common border;

3.Recalls the need to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the EU economy, through ambitious EU industrial policies that can significantly contribute to achieving the EU’s social, digital and environmental objectives, while maintaining a level playing field in the single market;

4.Calls on the Commission to ensure that the 2026 Union budget increases resources supporting the proper application of single market rules and consumer rights, including product safety regulations; stresses that the application of single market rules is essential for ensuring fair competition, promoting trust between businesses and consumers and preventing market distortions; stresses the importance of strengthening the enforcement of consumer rights at EU and national level and improving consumers’ awareness of their rights;

5.Welcomes the increase in the number of staff responsible for the enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) and considers it essential to ensure sufficient funding and staffing to ensure that the enforcement of the DMA and the DSA is effective and appropriate; stresses the importance of combating foreign interference, addressing the dangers of biased algorithms and protecting the transparency, accountability and integrity of the digital public space;

6.Insists that additional funding is needed to ensure the proper enforcement of the AI ​​Act, by providing the necessary staff to the European AI Office, while supporting research and development of AI-based solutions and innovative approaches that enhance the EU’s technological sovereignty;

7.Stresses that adequate resources will be needed to strengthen the customs union and increase the resilience and effectiveness of customs and market surveillance authorities, as well as to address the challenges of unsafe and illegal products imported via e-commerce platforms from non-EU countries; underlines the role of a robust customs system in protecting the EU's economic resilience and competitiveness by making cross-border trade more efficient and combating illicit activities in the market, protecting consumers and eliminating unfair competition;