The European Commission is preparing to propose a radical overhaul of the European Union budget, focusing on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The proposal includes merging CAP funding with other budgetary funds, aiming to enhance competitiveness but provoking opposition from member states, farmers, and NGOs. The plan reportedly involves a significant increase in funding for Ukraine, which has raised concerns among European farmers and leaders, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who warned that the proposal risks sidelining rural Europe and threatening farming families. The budget reform also intersects with broader fiscal challenges, such as France's fiscal crisis and Ireland's emphasis on value-for-money, sparking debates over taxation, cohesion, and the future of agricultural support within the EU. These developments have triggered clashes over the EU's 'wartime budget' approach and its implications for businesses and farmers across member states.