Germany's Merz says EU budget proposal must be cut further

BRUSSELS, Oct 16 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday the current European budget proposal must be cut further and that an additional European Council meeting is expected in November.

He hopes a budget deal can be reached before the end of this year but he is not sure it will happen, Merz told journalists in Brussels.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, writing by Kirsti Knolle, editing by Emanuele Berro)