Methodology & Sources

Figures in the EU Budget Navigator are based on data from the European Commission, European Council, and European Parliament, and analysis by the Bertelsmann Stiftung. 

Unless otherwise indicated, figures refer to commitment appropriations and are displayed in € million.

The Navigator uses a fixed annual deflator of 2% to convert figures between current and constant 2025 prices.

All charts and figures are for illustrative purposes. Figures may differ slightly from official sources due to rounding and assumptions underlying the conversion between prices bases.

The Budget Navigator combines data on commitments from different sources, depending on the MFF cycle and version displayed.

MFF 21-27 | Initial agreement (2020): Based primarily on the European Commission’s overview over the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 (in commitments), published on 22 January 2021, complemented by sectoral regulations and European Commission information on individual programmes. For the Innovation Fund, data for 2021–25 is based on the programme performance statement (retrieved in September 2026); commitment levels for 2026 and 2027 are estimated based on similar annual levels.

MFF 21-27 | Estimated implementation (2025): Based primarily on the European Commission’s Statement of estimates 2026 – Financial Programming 2027, published on June 04 2025. Where complete information on the actual implementation of instruments above the MFF ceilings or outside the MFF is not available, the Navigator uses the best available programme-level data or planned allocations. For the Innovation Fund, data for 2021–25 is based on the programme performance statement (retrieved in September 2026); commitment levels for 2026 and 2027 are estimated based on similar annual levels.

MFF 28-34 | Commission proposal: Based on the European Commission’s proposal for the 2028-34 Multiannual Financial Framework and the accompanying sectoral legislation, published between July and September 2025.

MFF 28-34 | European Parliament position 04/26: Based on the European Parliament’s interim report on the proposal for the multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034 of 28 April 2026, complemented by relevant Parliament positions on individual programmes and spending targets. Where elements remain unspecified, for example, amounts for special instruments above the MFF ceilings, programmes outside the MFF, or programme-specific climate spending targets, the Navigator retains the corresponding Commission values as the default.

MFF 28-34 | Council Negotiating Box (various versions): Based on successive Negotiating Boxes prepared by the rotating Council Presidencies. Where elements remain unspecified, for example, climate spending targets that are placed in brackets, the Navigator retains the corresponding Commission values as the default.

Compiling comparable data across MFF cycles and proposals requires a number of methodological choices. This section explains the sources, assumptions and methods underlying individual components of the Navigator. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like further information.